Steven C Hayes, PhD | Reimagining ACT Artwork

Mentally Flexible

Join psychotherapist Tom Parkes as he has meaningful conversations to help you build mental flexibility. Each episode will explore topics related to psychology, mental health, and creativity. With an open mind and a sense of curiosity these conversations will help you better understand yourself, others, and the world around you.

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Mentally Flexible

Steven C Hayes, PhD | Reimagining ACT

July 14, 2026 • Tom Parkes, LCSW • Episode 89

0:00 | 1:01:34

My guest today is Steven C. Hayes, PhD. Steve is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and one of the most influential figures in modern psychotherapy. He is the originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developer of Relational Frame Theory (RFT), and co-developer of Process-Based Therapy. An Emeritus Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, Dr. Hayes has authored more than 45 books and over 700 scientific publications, making him one of the most cited psychologists in the world. His work has fundamentally changed how clinicians understand and treat human suffering, with a focus on psychological flexibility, values, and living a meaningful life.

Some of the topics we explore include:

Why the original ACT Hexaflex needs to expand — and what's missing from the classic six processes
How to define ACT functionally so it can grow without losing its identity
The case for adding sociocultural and biophysiological levels to the psychological flexibility model
What Process-Based Therapy (PBT) actually is — and why it's both a Trojan horse and an open invitation
Why middle-level clinical terms like "emotional flexibility" are scientifically legitimate and practically essential
The ergodicity problem: why group-level research can't tell us what works for individual people — and what to do instead
Three principles for the future of clinical practice: practice-based evidence, every voice matters, and if you're not personalizing, you're not treating

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Steve’s Website: https://stevenchayes.com/

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