The Art And Science Of Assessment In Psychotherapy

While professional trainings in psychotherapy and counselling vary considerably in the attention they pay to assessment, courses, conferences and workshops devoted to the subject are attracting an audience eager for more demonstration and discussion. In response, The Art and Science of Assessment in Psychotherapy offers an extended symposium on principles and practice. Guided by a belief that comparative study will spur critical reflection and innovation, its presentations encompass a wide range of therapeutic orientations, settings and interests. In the book twelve distinguished practitioners of widely used approaches within psychotherapy describe the methods they use in their assessments and how these have developed. They also discuss the uses and limitations of the therapies they offer. The approaches covered include psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in-patient psychotherapy, family therapy, group psychotherapy, psychodrama, cognitive-behaviour therapy, couple therapy and focal therapy. Additional chapters look at assessment in the light of psychotherapy research, question how far assessment can be separated from treatment, and ask whether the use of questionnaires and special tests aids or detracts from interviewing as a method of assessment. As psychotherapy matures as a profession, both chronologically and in response to public demand, interest in assessment methods is growing, yet to date the published material has been limited and dispersed amongst specialist books and journals. The Art and Science of Assessment in Psychotherapy offer the first comprehensive, practical review of a key professional issue which will be of interest to all practising psychotherapists and counsellors.

Psychotherapy, like most other areas of health care, is a synthesis of scientific technique and artistic expression. The practice, like any other, is grounded in a series of standardized principles, theories, and techniques. Individual practitioners define themselves within the field by using these basic tools to achieve their therapeutic goals in novel ways, applying these rudimentary skills and guiding principles to each situation. However, a toolbox full of treatment approaches, no matter how comprehensive, is not enough to effectively reach your patients. Effective work can only be accomplished through a synthesis of the fundamental scientific methods and the creative application of these techniques, approaches, and strategies. The Art and Science of Psychotherapy offers invaluable insight into the creative side of psychotherapy. The book addresses the fundamental split between researchers and scholars who use scientific methods to develop disorder-specific treatment techniques and those more clinically inclined therapists who emphasize the individual, interpersonal aspects of the therapeutic process. With contributions from leading therapists, the editors have compiled a practical handbook for clinical psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals.

Valuing is central to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), yet few therapists truly understand how to engage clients in this complex process. Questions such as What is the purpose of my life? and How do I make decisions? are difficult to answer honestly for ourselves, let alone share with another person. The Art and Science of Valuing in Psychotherapy is the mental health practitioner's complete guide to helping clients identify their values and apply them to their lives in practical ways. You will also learn to establish your own values as a professional, which may shift from client to client, and act in accordance with these values in therapy. The book provides you with practical tools for conducting values work, including easy-to-understand metaphors, defusion exercises, guided imagery exercises, scripts for role play, client worksheets, assessment quizzes, and more. Once you've mastered the art and science of valuing, you'll find out just how broad the applications for values work can be for conceptualization and interventions in the workplace, in organizations, and on the community level, and discover how effective values work can be for tapping into your clients' capacity for change. [The Art and Science of Valuing in Psychotherapy] will illuminate how a focus on values can inform every aspect of psychotherapy, from case conceptualization to the therapeutic relationship. At once accessible and profound... highly recommended. -Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D., University of Nevada Foundation Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno

Introduction to Counseling by Michael Scott Nystul provides an overview of counseling and the helping professions from the perspective of art and science—the science of counseling that generates a knowledge base proven to promote competency and efficacy in the practitioner, and the art of using this knowledge base to build skills that can be applied sensitively to clients in a multicultural society. The Fifth Edition has been organized into three sections: (1) an overview of counseling and the counseling process, (2) multicultural counseling and counseling theories, and (3) special approaches and settings. It continues to address key topics and issues, including gender, culture, and sexual orientation, and offers ways to integrate multiculturalism into all aspects of counseling, rather than view it as a separate entity. Highlighting emerging trends and changes in ethical codes, as well as reflecting the latest updates to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5), the book successfully illustrates the importance of art and science to modern-day counseling.

This second edition follows the tradition of the first edition as both an introductory text and a handbook in evaluation and assessment in the creative arts therapies. It was written to be useful both for graduate students in the arts therapies training programs, doctoral programs, and for practitioners in the field who want guidelines for developing and implementing evaluation programs. The first section deals with fundamentals and principles that apply to all evaluation, qualitative as well as quantitative. This general treatment is followed by chapters that deal with specific approaches to evaluation: psychometric, clinical or intuitive, and behavioral. The implications for evaluation of the three major philosophical orientations (psychodynamic, existential, and behavioral) are discussed. The last section focuses on evaluation procedures in art therapy, dance/movement therapy, and music therapy, contributed by individuals who have specific expertise in those areas. Existing procedures are reviewed and emerging trends are examined. The basic theme of the book is the interrelationship between the creative and the scientific approaches to evaluation. The book's purpose is not to provide formulas or recipes but rather to help therapists relate their evaluation program to their goals, to identify what they are interested in evaluating, and to design the kind of evaluation program that can do what the therapist wants it to do. -- Publisher.

The Art & Science of Psychotherapy offers invaluable insight into the creative side of psychotherapy. The book addresses the fundamental split between researchers and scholars and those more clinically inclined therapists. With contributions from leading therapists, this is a practical handbook for clinical psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals.

With all of the expert-authored content that made previous editions indispensable references for students and practitioners alike, this third edition of The Art and Science of Brief Psychotherapies: A Practitioner's Guide has been updated to reflect this rapidly changing field. Most chapters include new material that documents recent developments within existing models, and new chapters tackle topics that include the following: Multicultural practice Mentalizing Motivational interviewing Dialectical behavior therapy Telepsychiatry Internet-based interventions All chapters summarize the ideas underlying each modality, the evidence for effectiveness, and the techniques and interventions central to each. In this edition, the DVD of videos has been replaced with 40 updated streaming videos -- available on desktop and mobile devices -- that show experienced practitioners engaged in a range of brief therapies, allowing for a deeper and richer learning experience for readers. In a national and global environment of limited economic resources and multiple demands on patients' time, short-term treatment modalities are increasingly important. Integrating theory, research, and step-by-step procedures, The Art and Science of Brief Psychotherapies is an ideal introduction to the range of short-term therapies for psychiatry residents, psychology interns, social work students, and experienced practitioners looking to broaden their practice.

Each chapter is thoroughly updated, and new chapters cover such topics as dialectical behavior therapy, multicultural practice, and mentalizing, as well as fresh approaches to intervention, such as telepsychiatry and Internet-based interventions. There are also new videos on dialectical behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing.