Description

---

A powerful, evidence-based program grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for managing cravings related to addictions and taking charge of your life.

Whether you struggle with overeating, alcohol, drugs, or smoking, you're all too familiar with the cravings that propel your habit. Cravings--that intense desire for certain substances or behaviors with the aim of feeling pleasure and satisfaction--are the root of all addictive behaviors. Knowing what to do with those urges can make the difference between managing your addiction and giving into it. This book can help.

Cravings and Addictions presents practical strategies based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you cope with the cravings at the core of your addiction. You'll learn to recognize the cues that lead to addictive behaviors, and discover how you can move beyond addiction to commit to a life driven by what you care about and want in life. If you're ready to stop living life at the mercy of your cravings and addiction, let this book be your guide to regaining control.

ACT: Accept, Choose, and Take Action to Manage Your Cravings--and Take Back Control of Your Life

• Accept that cravings are a normal part of everyday life, just like other thoughts and feelings.
• Choose to surrender to the craving--or choose to engage in actions aligned with your goals and values.
• Take action to change your life for the better--and develop a sense of meaning, purpose, and vitality.

About the Author

---

Maria Karekla, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and associate professor at the University of Cyprus where she heads the ACThealthy Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Medicine laboratory. She is a peer-reviewed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) therapy trainer, and presently serves as the president-elect of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) where she has been a fellow since 2019. She is also a fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM). She was nominated in 2017 for the National Literary Awards in the children/adolescents category, and also for her illustrations for the book. She has received numerous national and international awards and grants for her research work. In 2018, she was nominated as Cyprus Woman of the Year in the academic/researcher category. Megan M. Kelly, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has been involved in addictions research for the past sixteen years, with a particular focus on the development of behavioral interventions for individuals with comorbid addictions and mental health disorders. She has received several VA- and NIH-funded awards to develop and evaluate new behavioral interventions and programs for individuals with co-occurring disorders using ACT principles. She has evaluated, treated, or supervised the treatment of over 2,000 people struggling with addictions. Foreword author Russ Harris is an internationally acclaimed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and author of the best-selling ACT-based self-help book, The Happiness Trap, which has sold more than one million copies and been published in thirty languages. He is widely renowned for his ability to teach ACT in a way that is simple, clear, and fun--yet extremely practical.