This book proposes a psychotherapeutic intervention integrating Islāmic Psychology with Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Muslims with chronic pain conditions.
The first part of the book provides an overview of the challenges of living with chronic pain and illness and explores the cultural expressions of pain and disease and a literature review on culturally adapted psychotherapies. An overview of the main components of ACT and their congruence with Islāmic tenets, including spirituality and contemplation, is provided to propose an Islāmic based ACT approach that aims not to reduce or eliminate pain but rather to help the client build a repertoire of behaviours that lead them towards value-based directions. The second part of the book outlines a session-by-session cultural adaptation of the six core processes of ACT interwoven with Islāmic teachings from the Quran and Sunnah. The book is supplemented with downloadable resources such as worksheets and handouts that professionals can use in practice.
This book is intended as a pain management guide for therapists familiar with ACT and Islām. It will provide therapists with the tools to deliver a faith-adapted, evidence-based treatment for clients who follow the Islāmic faith.
Table of Contents:
Part 1 1. Introduction 2. Literature Review on Cultural Adaptations for Muslim Patients 3. Introduction to Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) 4. Adapting an ACT Intervention for Muslims with Chronic Pain Part 2 5. Outline For a Six-Session Act Programme 6. Treatment Session 1 7. Treatment Session 2 8. Treatment Session 3 9. Treatment Session 4 10. Treatment Session 5 11. Treatment Session 6 12. Conclusions Appendices
About the Author :
Dr Razia Bhatti-Ali is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the United Kingdom. She has been employed in a pain management role for over six years providing clinical interventions, supervision, and support for a psychology team. In collaboration with her Urdu-speaking colleagues, she successfully developed an ACT-based Urdu Pain Management Programme for Muslim service users and created a digital Urdu version to increase access to the intervention. The outcome data from this initiative were presented at the British Pain Society conference in 2019 and the International Association of Islamic Psychology conference in conjunction with Riphah University, Lahore. The work has also been published as a book chapter and in two peer-reviewed journals.
Review :
‘It was a pleasure reading the book titled Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Islāmic Psychotherapy for Managing Chronic Pain written by Dr. Razia Bhatti-Ali. The author has written this book based on her extensive professional experience with chronic pain in Muslim patients and has adapted ACT by incorporating knowledge from the Quran, Hadith and Sunnah, which are major authentic sources of knowledge in Islam. Her clinical experience has enabled her to adapt ACT for Muslim patients. She has comprehensively covered therapeutic processes, assessment and intervention techniques and has also provided session-by-session guidelines for practitioners. I strongly endorse and recommend this book for teachers, researchers and health practitioners who are working with individuals from Muslim backgrounds.’
Prof. Rukhsana Kausar, Former Vice Chancellor, Government College for Women University, Sialkot (GCWUS), Pakistan
‘This book meets the needs of the Muslim community. It combines principles of Islāmic faith with ACT theory in a neat way. Written by a consultant clinical psychologist with years of clinical experience, anyone working in a multi-cultural position will find it very useful. Given the multi-cultural nature of society, the parameters of clinical work are changing. This book comes at a time when such a text is very much needed. It is an excellent introduction that would be of a great significance in the clinical community as well as academia. This important book is enhancing our knowledge about the theory and treatment of culturally different clients, especially in the area of pain management.’
Dr. Wali Wardak, C. Psychol, C.Scie, AFBPsS, Senior Clinical Psychologist
