S6 E7: Own Up and Show Up: Dr. Steven C. Hayes on Mental Resilience, Acceptance, and the Future of Psychotherapy

In this episode of CASAT Conversations, we are honored to welcome Dr. Steven C. Hayes, a pioneering clinical psychologist and the originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). With decades of groundbreaking work that has transformed the field of psychotherapy, Dr. Hayes brings a deep understanding of how we build resilience, move through suffering, and live with purpose.

Drawing from tribal traditions, spiritual wisdom, and cutting-edge behavioral science, Dr. Hayes shares how ACT helps people willingly take on their own history, turn toward their pain, and connect with what matters most. He reflects on pivotal moments in his career—including his TEDx Talk, Turning Pain into Purpose—and emphasizes the importance of developing mental flexibility in a post-COVID world where “5 out of 5 of us” need resilience.

Dr. Hayes also critiques the systemic challenges facing the mental health field today, including the limitations of the DSM, the influence of pharmaceutical companies, and the reduction of individuals to data points in normative science. With humility and fierce compassion, he calls for a culture shift in psychotherapy—one where practitioners are empowered to trust their intuition, meet clients with curiosity, and reject categorical thinking in favor of wholeness and integration.

In this episode, Dr. Hayes discusses:

• The role of acceptance in healing and transformation
• ACT’s connection to tribal traditions and human resilience
• How personal pain can become a path to purpose
• His critique of the current mental health system and the DSM
• The power of integrating all parts of ourselves
• A vision for bottom-up change in psychotherapy through practitioner wisdom

Join us for a compelling and candid conversation about how we can reimagine mental health care—from the inside out—and reconnect with the core of what makes us human.

Dr. Steven C. Hayes is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and author of 48 books and 725 scientific articles. He is best known for developing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a widely used evidence-based approach to psychotherapy. Dr. Hayes is a professor emeritus at the University of Nevada, Reno, and continues to teach, speak, and advocate for more compassionate and effective mental and behavioral health care. His TEDx talks and blogs have been viewed or read by over five million people and he is among the most cited psychologists in the world.