The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness.

Russ Harris is a medical practitioner, psychotherapist, and author who has significantly contributed to the popularization of ACT. Originally trained as a physician in the United Kingdom, Harris practiced medicine until experiencing professional burnout in his early career. This experience led him to explore various therapeutic approaches, ultimately discovering ACT in 2004.

Harris’s educational background spans both medical science and psychological therapy. After completing his medical degree, he worked as a general practitioner while pursuing additional training in hypnosis, psychotherapy, and counseling. His transition from traditional medicine to psychological therapy occurred gradually as he integrated ACT principles into his medical practice.

The development of The Happiness Trap emerged from Harris’s experiences implementing ACT in clinical settings. While working with patients in Australia, he observed that conventional approaches to happiness and emotional management often proved counterproductive. The book represents a synthesis of his medical background, therapeutic practice, and personal journey with ACT principles.

Following the publication of The Happiness Trap, Harris established himself as a prominent ACT trainer, conducting workshops for health professionals across Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.