Russ Harris Books

So many of us grow up surrounded by messages that declare happiness as the ultimate goal of life. Films end with triumphant smiles, advertisements promise joy through consumption, and social media showcases highlight reels of constant satisfaction. But these cultural narratives plant in us a dangero...

From The Happiness Trap

Imagine a mind designed hundreds of thousands of years ago to survive predators and harsh environments. That same mind now navigates a modern world filled with abstract threats—career uncertainty, relationship expectations, endless comparison. The human mind evolved to predict danger, solve problems...

From The Happiness Trap

If we strip ACT down to its essence, we find six foundational processes. Each functions like a strand in a flexible weave; none stands alone, yet together they create a fabric strong enough to hold the weight of life’s challenges. Acceptance means opening up to what shows up inside—thoughts, feeling...

From ACT Made Simple: An Easy-To-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

At the core of ACT is acceptance—the willingness to experience unpleasant thoughts and emotions as they are, instead of trying to suppress them. This doesn’t mean liking your pain or giving up. It means dropping the futile war against reality. You might hear me say that pain is what happens when lif...

From ACT Made Simple: An Easy-To-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The first major idea I explore is the psychological illusion that confidence must come before action. This is what I call the ‘confidence gap’—that gulf between our fears and the behaviors that would help us grow. Many of us believe we must first feel confident before we can speak in meetings, ask s...

From The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a practical roadmap for closing the confidence gap. Its approach revolves around six core processes: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self-as-context, values, and committed action. Each one transforms the way you relate to your fears. Acc...

From The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt