Use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with a Patient with Social Anxiety Disorder and Chronic Pain: A Case Study

Abstract

The present case study reports the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with a patient who had social anxiety disorder and chronic pain. The patient was a woman in her 40’s. She had not sufficiently improved after having received pharmacotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She had sessions of ACT once a week for 12 weeks. After that, her social anxiety disorder decreased, and her back pain was reduced. When ACT is used with a client who had been given CBT, attention should be paid to the possibility that the client may confuse ACT with CBT.