Client Presentation
This clinical case looks at the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in the treatment of an individual who has been through multiple traumatic events. This client met the DSM-5 criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), so you could simply view this case as an example of ACT for PTSD. However, as you will see, through an ACT lens we focus on more than just a specific diagnosis.
This client has been given the name of Deborah. She was a 32-year-old, female, US Army veteran. She served for six years, specializing in combat documentation and production. Her responsibilities were to supervise, plan, and operate electronic and film-based still, video, and audio equipment in order to document combat and non-combat operations. So she was not technically performing a role in which she engaged in combat but, as you can imagine, she was exposed to very challenging situations along with the rest of her unit.