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Rising Above Bullying: From Despair to Recovery
by Carrie Herbert Esther Rantzen Rosemary Hayes Roxana De RondExtreme bullying can have devastating effects: it can leave a child severely traumatized, their self-esteem destroyed, and in deep despair. Many children who have been severely bullied are unable to attend school, and are deeply scarred by what has happened. This book reveals these shattering effects by telling the stories of eight children who have experienced extreme bullying and then found their way to recovery at a Red Balloon Learner Centre – a place where children can go to continue their education and recover their self-esteem, confidence and feelings of self-worth. Their stories also act to highlight common issues which often lie behind bullying behaviour such as weight, sexuality, race and religion. Guidance is given on what teachers and parents can do to help a child who is being bullied or a child who uses bullying behaviour, and what the bullied children themselves can do. Also included is a section on understanding bullying behaviour – how to read the signs, why some children may be targeted, what forms it can take, and why children often remain silent. This moving moving and insightful book is essential reading for all those who have encountered bullying: for parents and teachers, those who have been or are being bullied, and for those who do the bullying and their families.
Managing Family Meltdown: The Low Arousal Approach and Autism
by Andrea Page Andrew Mcdonnell Linda WoodcockChallenging behaviour, violent outbursts and meltdowns can put a strain on the entire family of a child on the autism spectrum. This book offers practical, long-term and effective strategies to help resolve common challenging behaviours using a low arousal approach – a non-aversive approach based on avoiding confrontation and reducing stress and anxiety. Managing Family Meltdown provides explanations for challenging behaviours, and offers a wealth of guidance on how families can manage different types of challenging behaviour, such as physical aggression and self-injury. The authors explore the difference between managing and changing behaviour; how our own behaviour can influence the situation; and show how by reducing stress and anxiety children are better able to process information becoming less likely to react in challenging ways. The pros and cons of medication and ways to look after your own health are also discussed. This hands-on, practical book is appropriate for children who are non-verbal, as well as those with higher functioning autism and will be indispensable for families, carers and anyone involved with children on the autism spectrum.
The Adolescent and Adult Neuro-diversity Handbook: Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Related Conditions
by Claire Salter Sarah HendrickxIncreasing numbers of adults are realising that they have been living with an undiagnosed developmental condition, yet most information and support focuses on children. This leaves many adults confused and in the dark. The Adolescent and Adult Neuro-Diversity Handbook is a handy first-reference point guide to the full range of developmental conditions as they affect adolescents and adults. Each chapter focuses on a different condition, describing its history, causes and characteristics, its implications for the individual, diagnosis and assessment, treatments and approaches, and strategies for providing support and self-support. A wide range of conditions are covered, including Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, OCD, Tourette's and Anxiety Disorders. The Adolescent and Adult Neuro-Diversity Handbook is an invaluable resource for health and social care practitioners, as well as for individuals who feel that they may be living with an undiagnosed developmental condition.
A Non-Violent Resistance Approach with Children in Distress: A Guide for Parents and Professionals
by Carmelite Avraham-Krehwinkel David AldridgeParents, teachers and other professionals often struggle to know how to deal with disruptive, abusive or aggressive behaviour. This book addresses the urgent need for a realistic, practical and effective approach to dealing with severe disruptive behaviour in children and adolescents. Adapting the principles of non-violent resistance originally advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, the book provides de-escalation techniques which empower the adult and unburden the distressed child. The authors outline the theoretical basis upon which the approach was developed, and explain how and why it can be so effective. Case studies demonstrate how the approach can be used to reach more successful places with unhappy and disruptive children of different ages. A separate section for parents provides useful advice on how to take the theoretical material and use it to deal with problematic behaviour in everyday life. As effective as it is original, this approach will empower desperate parents and despairing caregivers by equipping them with hands-on tools to contain, counter and positively direct the aggression and opposition which they face from children in distress.
A Spectrum of Light: Inspirational Interviews with Families Affected by Autism
by Francesca BierensThe emotional trauma that families go through when they find out their child has an autism spectrum disorder can feel like being plunged into darkness. Francesca Bierens is here to show that there is also a light at the end of the tunnel. Over a period of fourteen years, Francesca Bierens interviewed ten families of children on the autism spectrum. This book records their answers: how they felt, how they coped, and what gave them strength and solace. Each family discusses how they reacted when they found out their child had autism, and their feelings leading up to diagnosis. They share their positive and negative experiences of professionals, and describe the support that they received, often from grandparents, respite care givers, support groups and other parents. Two of the original children, now in their 20s, also talk about the experience of growing up with autism, and describe how their lives are now. Above all, Bierens' message, and that of the families she interviews, is one of inspiration and hope, showing that there is light, love and laughter along the way. Their stories should be read by anyone who is affected by or working with autism.
Disability and Child Sexual Abuse: Lessons from Survivors' Narratives for Effective Protection, Prevention and Treatment
by John Swain Martina HigginsDisability and Child Sexual Abuse examines the ways in which society marginalises, institutionalises and places disabled children in situations of unacceptable risk, and how – as evidenced in the survivors' narratives – patterns of service delivery can contribute to the problem. Based on the accounts of seven disabled individuals who were sexually abused in childhood, the book highlights a wide range of pertinent issues. Through case vignettes and empirical research, the authors ask practitioners to scrutinise their current professional practice, exploring participants' experiences of hospitalisation, education systems and local authorities. They consider the issue of who abuses and why, and highlight issues relating to the complexities involved in revisiting past experiences and confronting unwarranted and unwanted feelings of responsibility. The difficulty of recounting the abuse narrative is also examined within the research context. This book will be relevant for professionals and students in the social, health and education services, such as social workers, teachers and counsellors. It will also offer insights for those seeking a less disablist society, including disabled people themselves.
Deeno's Dream Journeys in the Big Blue Bubble: A Relaxation Programme to Help Children Manage their Emotions
by Gerry Turley Julia LangensiepenDeeno's Dream Journeys in the Big Blue Bubble is a fun and easy-to-use guide to a special relaxation technique for children. Adapted from the system of Autogenics, the six-week programme uses positive affirmations and guided imagery to help children manage their emotions, let go of anxiety and feel calm and confident. Each week, the child is given a new set of 'magic words': a relaxation tool they can draw upon whenever they feel stressed or anxious. An illustrated story based around these words, where the child is asked to imagine they are going on an adventure in a big blue bubble with Deeno the Dinosaur, draws the child into a safe and magical world and guides their minds and bodies into a state of deep, calming relaxation. Suggestions for follow-up practice and creative activities based around that week's words accompany each session, and encourage children to tap into their own imaginations. Separate introductions for parents, teachers and other professionals provide advice on how best to use the technique, whether at home, at school, or elsewhere. There is also a children's introduction, which introduces Deeno and explains the technique in accessible terms. Accessible and engaging, Deeno's Dream Journeys in the Big Blue Bubble is an ideal tool for helping children develop effective relaxation skills in a fun and imaginative way.
Life Story Books for Adopted Children: A Family Friendly Approach
by Alan Burnell Jamie Goldberg Joy ReesThrough words, pictures, photographs, certificates and other 'little treasures', a Life Story Book provides a detailed account of the child's early history and a chronology of their life. This clear and concise book shows a new family-friendly way to compile a Life Story Book that promotes a sense of permanency for the child, and encourages attachments within the adoptive family. Joy Rees' improved model works chronologically backwards rather than forwards, aiming to reinforce the child's sense of belonging and security within the adoptive family before addressing the child's past and early trauma. The book contains simple explanations of complex concepts, practical examples and helpful suggestions. Perfect for busy social workers in local authority children and adoption teams, approved adoption agencies and adoptive parents, Life Story Books for Adopted Children is a refreshing, innovative and common-sense guide.
Bringing Up A Challenging Child At Home: When Love Is Not Enough
by Jane GregoryChrissy is Jane Gregory's oldest child, an attractive girl with a tremendous sense of fun. She also exhibits behaviour which other people find challenging - screaming fits, stripping off her clothes, violent outbursts and self-mutilation. It was apparent from an early age that Chrissy had a learning disability, and subsequently as an adult she was diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder and autism. In Bringing Up a Challenging Child at Home, Jane Gregory describes her life with Chrissy candidly and pragmatically. She relates her struggles to cope with Chrissy's difficult behaviour, the effects on the rest of the family, and her attempts to understand the reasons behind it. Offering practical advice for other parents, she explains how she got the right support and effective treatment. Her story provides professionals as well as parents with a unique insight into what it is like to bring up a complex and challenging child.
The Adoption Experience
by Ann MorrisThis is a book of real life stories of adopters which takes the reader through every stage of the adoption process starting with the moment when they decide that adoption is the right option for them to the stories of adoptees brought up by adoptive parents. In between, the book looks at all the different types of adoption that are carried out by all sorts of families from all sorts of children of every race and age and with every kind of problem. They range from babies who are only days old when they are taken into an adoptive family to teenagers with a multitude of psychological and physical problems. The book looks at both the success and failure of these adoptions. Its aim is to inform and enlighten professionals, adopters, potential adopters and all those whose lives have in some way been touched by adoption or want to know more about it. In 15 chapters it includes more than 70 real life stories which are all told from the heart sometimes in a moment of crisis and sometimes at a time of joy. They are not analysed, they are true stories about how it feels to be at the centre of adoption. All the stories, which have been recounted over the past 10 years, are reflective of adoption today in Britain. The book also includes a chapter on the legal aspects of adoption and a further chapter of useful information and addresses.
Attachment Across the Life Cycle
by Colin Murray Parkes Joan Stevenson-Hinde Peter MarrisIt has long been suspected that many of the common psychiatric and social problems of adult life have their roots in the early relationship between the child and its mother. To explain this simple observation and to examine the part which these patterns of attachment play in the causation of psychiatric and social problems, a body of knowledge has sprung up which owes much to the pioneering work of the late John Bowlby. This book draws together recent theoretical contributions, research findings and clinical data from psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists and ethnologists from Britain, America and Europe. Their work has confirmed the importance of the earlier research and extended it to cover attachment throughout the life cycle.
Attachment Across the Life Cycle (PDF)
by Colin Murray Parkes Joan Stevenson-Hinde Peter MarrisIt has long been suspected that many of the common psychiatric and social problems of adult life have their roots in the early relationship between the child and its mother. To explain this simple observation and to examine the part which these patterns of attachment play in the causation of psychiatric and social problems, a body of knowledge has sprung up which owes much to the pioneering work of the late John Bowlby. This book draws together recent theoretical contributions, research findings and clinical data from psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists and ethnologists from Britain, America and Europe. Their work has confirmed the importance of the earlier research and extended it to cover attachment throughout the life cycle.
Children, Family and the State: Decision-Making and Child-Participation (PDF)
by Nigel ThomasWhat part should children take in decisions about their lives? Does their need to be involved in decisions conflict with adult responsibility for their welfare? In its search for answers to these questions, 'Children, family and the state' examines different theories of childhood, children's rights and the relationship between children, parents and the state. Focusing on children who are looked after by the state, it reviews the changing objectives of the care system and the extent to which children have been involved in decisions about their care.
All About the Girl: Culture, Power, and Identity
by Anita Harris Michelle FineThe essays cover girlhood around the world and cover such key areas as schooling, sexuality, popular culture and identity. 9780415946995 9780203492567
All About the Girl: Culture, Power, and Identity (PDF)
by Anita Harris Michelle FineThe essays cover girlhood around the world and cover such key areas as schooling, sexuality, popular culture and identity. 9780415946995 9780203492567
Dying, Death and Grief: Working with Adult Bereavement (PDF)
by Brenda Mallon"This book's strengths are [Brenda Mallon's] clinical wisdom, experience and insights, and the practical, constructive, down-to-earth way in which she conveys these to her readers. This will appeal to many who are searching for guidance in the difficult task of providing support for the bereaved" - Bereavement Care, Spring 2010 'This is a well written book that makes a very useful addition to the field" - Therapy Today, February 2009 'A refreshing, down-to-earth text that examines theory and research without becoming an academic tome. It is comprehensive, focused on practice and contains important insights for developing the essential skills required to provide effective bereavement care' - Dr John Costello, Head of Primary Care, University of Manchester 'Brenda Mallon gives the term "grief counselling" definition in a way no one has done before. If you are new to counselling the bereaved, this book is the best introduction I have seen. If you are an experienced grief counsellor, this should be the next book you read' - Professor Dennis Klass, Webster University, Dying, Death and Grief is written for anyone who provides support to adults following bereavement. Whether in a professional or voluntary capacity, bereavement care requires empathy, judgement and skill to ensure your response matches the needs of the person you are helping. Recognizing that we all experience bereavement differently, this book introduces theory and skills which can be used in any context to address a wide range of needs. The author explains the theoretical background to attachment and loss and the core skills needed to support people who have been bereaved. Case studies and personal accounts illustrate key points and exercises help you examine your own experiences and attitudes in relation to loss. The book also takes into account topics frequently overlooked in other texts, such as sexuality, spiritual responses to loss, cultural influences and diversity, as well as the nature of chronic and disenfranchised grief. Dying, Death and Grief is designed for use on a wide range of training and academic courses that prepare practitioners to work with the bereaved. Professionals in a range of settings including hospitals and in the community as well as volunteers and be-frienders in hospices and nursing homes will find this a useful source of guidance. Brenda Mallon is a counsellor, trainer and author who specialises in bereavement care. She is vice chair of The Grief Centre, Manchester Area Bereavement Forum.
Narrative Therapy (PDF)
by Martin Payne`A thought provoking and interesting book that will be of interest to nurses and others supporting patients' - Accident and Emergency Nursing `It is a relevant and timely book that will remind therapists of the importance of the telling of client's stories as an important component of the therapeutic process. Whatever approach we use, the client's story will be a part of what we work with, so a sophisticated questioning of what 'stories/narratives' are will benefit our work. This book is a good starting point for such an exploration. It's an interesting book that will appeal to counsellors ready to challenge or add to their existing approach' - Therapy Today Narrative Therapy: An Introduction for Counsellors, Second Edition, offers a clear and concise overview of this way of working without oversimplifying its theoretical underpinnings and practices. Narrative therapy places peoples' accounts of their lives and relationships at the heart of the therapeutic process. Its main premise is that the telling and re-telling of experience by means of guided questioning can facilitate changed, more realistic perspectives, and open up possibilities for the person seeking assistance to position him- or herself more helpfully in relation to the issues brought to therapy. Drawing on the ideas of Michael White and David Epston, this fully revised, extended and updated second edition incorporates recent developments in narrative theory and practice, and introduces developments initiated by other narrative therapists worldwide. New material has been added around counselling for post-traumatic reactions, couples conflict and a sense of personal failure. The book is illustrated with extensive examples of practice with individuals and couples. It is ideal for anyone on training courses in narrative therapy, and also for counsellors who wish to consider common ground between narrative ideas and their current approach. Martin Payne is an independent therapist and trainer in Norwich, UK.
Doing Mental Health Research with Children and Adolescents: A Guide to Qualitative Methods
by Nikki Kiyimba Michelle O'ReillyResearching child and adolescent mental health can be a daunting task, but with the right practical skills and knowledge your students can transform the way they work with children and young people, giving them a ‘voice’ through their research in the wider community. Michelle O'Reilly and Nikki Parker combine their clinical, academic and research expertise to take your students step-by-step through each stage of the research process. From first inception to data collection and dissemination, they’ll guide them through the key issues faced when undertaking their research, highlighting the dilemmas, challenges and debates, and exploring the important questions asked when doing research with this population. Providing practical advice and strategies for dealing with the reality of conducting research in practice, this book will; - Provide your students with an overview of the theories that underpin methodological choice and the value of using qualitative research. - Guide them through the planning stage of your project, clearly outlining important ethical and legal issues. - Take them though the most popular qualitative data collection techniques and support them with their analysis. - Help them write up their findings and demonstrate how research evidence translates into effective clinical practice. Supported by helpful hints and tips, case examples and definitions of keys terms, this highly practical and accessible guide throws a lifebelt to any students or mental health practitioner learning about the research process for the first time.
Engaging with Parents in Early Years Settings
by Dianne Jackson Martin Needham'It is inspiring to see a text which attempts to shift our worldview. This shift could give us the chance to achieve more open, inclusive, democratic early childhood practice that has the capacity to answer the deeper questions and which sees both parents and children as powerful and positive agents in their own futures' - Chris Pascal and Tony Bertram, Directors of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) The role of parents in the early years is fundamental. In order to achieve the best outcomes for children, mutually beneficial relationships between parents and practitioners need to underpin children’s care and learning. There are many services for children and many different settings in which care and education can take place. Whether you work in children’s centres, outreach and dual-focused services, preschools, kindergartens or schools this book will help you develop the skills and strategies to work alongside parents whatever your role. Focussing on: The importance of involving parents The nature of learning How to engage and build relationships with parents How to reflect on and develop shared learning environment in settings Transitions and attachment This book has examples taken from real settings and practical advice to help you put the ideas into practice. Reading and using it will help ensure the wellbeing and development of all children in your care. Dianne Jackson is an Adjunct Fellow at the University of Western Sydney and the CEO of Connect Child and Family Services Martin Needham is Academic Division Leader: Education, Professional and Community Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University
Relationship Counselling for Children, Young People and Families
by David Geldard Kathryn Geldard"If you need one book that's crammed with clinically excellent, genuinely well informed and useful ideas for working with family relationships in all their permutations, this is undoubtedly it" - Professor Colin Feltham, Sheffield Hallam University "This is easy to read and has a clear layout. Counselling MSc students may find it an interesting introduction to the topic" - Times Higher Education Magazine, May 2009 This book is a practical skills-based introduction to relationship counselling. It covers couple counselling for parents, whole-family counselling and counselling for children and young people with regard to their relationships with siblings, peers and parents. The text also includes: o an introduction to relationship counselling theory and concepts o discussion of the importance of relying on a clearly defined theory of change o ways to address parenting issues o an exploration of confidentiality, disclosing inappropriate behaviour and personal safety. Kathryn Geldard and David Geldard present an integrative model of relationship counselling which combines skills and strategies from a number of approaches. Their practical guide integrates individual and subgroup counselling with whole-family counselling, providing much-needed material on methods and approaches for communicating with children and young people. The book will be invaluable to new relationship counsellors learning the skills required in order to bring about change, and will be a useful reference book for experienced counsellors.
Dying, Death and Grief: Working with Adult Bereavement
by Brenda Mallon"This book's strengths are [Brenda Mallon's] clinical wisdom, experience and insights, and the practical, constructive, down-to-earth way in which she conveys these to her readers. This will appeal to many who are searching for guidance in the difficult task of providing support for the bereaved" - Bereavement Care, Spring 2010 'This is a well written book that makes a very useful addition to the field" - Therapy Today, February 2009 'A refreshing, down-to-earth text that examines theory and research without becoming an academic tome. It is comprehensive, focused on practice and contains important insights for developing the essential skills required to provide effective bereavement care' - Dr John Costello, Head of Primary Care, University of Manchester 'Brenda Mallon gives the term "grief counselling" definition in a way no one has done before. If you are new to counselling the bereaved, this book is the best introduction I have seen. If you are an experienced grief counsellor, this should be the next book you read' - Professor Dennis Klass, Webster University, Dying, Death and Grief is written for anyone who provides support to adults following bereavement. Whether in a professional or voluntary capacity, bereavement care requires empathy, judgement and skill to ensure your response matches the needs of the person you are helping. Recognizing that we all experience bereavement differently, this book introduces theory and skills which can be used in any context to address a wide range of needs. The author explains the theoretical background to attachment and loss and the core skills needed to support people who have been bereaved. Case studies and personal accounts illustrate key points and exercises help you examine your own experiences and attitudes in relation to loss. The book also takes into account topics frequently overlooked in other texts, such as sexuality, spiritual responses to loss, cultural influences and diversity, as well as the nature of chronic and disenfranchised grief. Dying, Death and Grief is designed for use on a wide range of training and academic courses that prepare practitioners to work with the bereaved. Professionals in a range of settings including hospitals and in the community as well as volunteers and be-frienders in hospices and nursing homes will find this a useful source of guidance. Brenda Mallon is a counsellor, trainer and author who specialises in bereavement care. She is vice chair of The Grief Centre, Manchester Area Bereavement Forum.
Family Therapy in Focus
by Dr Eddy Street Mark RivettDrawing on many years' experience in practice, teaching and research, Mark Rivett and Eddy Street present philosophical, sociological and empirical views of family therapy. Balancing the perceived benefits against the potential limitations, they pose questions, which challenge those within the profession to think hard about their role. } does family therapy work? } can those most in need really be helped? } is family therapy a means of social control? } who does professionalization help? While most texts offer a straightforward and uncritical perspective, in contrast Family Therapy in Focus aims to stimulate debate among practitioners and to help trainees adopt a more reflective and critical attitude towards their own professional development and the development of their profession.
Narrative Therapy
by Martin Payne`A thought provoking and interesting book that will be of interest to nurses and others supporting patients' - Accident and Emergency Nursing `It is a relevant and timely book that will remind therapists of the importance of the telling of client's stories as an important component of the therapeutic process. Whatever approach we use, the client's story will be a part of what we work with, so a sophisticated questioning of what 'stories/narratives' are will benefit our work. This book is a good starting point for such an exploration. It's an interesting book that will appeal to counsellors ready to challenge or add to their existing approach' - Therapy Today Narrative Therapy: An Introduction for Counsellors, Second Edition, offers a clear and concise overview of this way of working without oversimplifying its theoretical underpinnings and practices. Narrative therapy places peoples' accounts of their lives and relationships at the heart of the therapeutic process. Its main premise is that the telling and re-telling of experience by means of guided questioning can facilitate changed, more realistic perspectives, and open up possibilities for the person seeking assistance to position him- or herself more helpfully in relation to the issues brought to therapy. Drawing on the ideas of Michael White and David Epston, this fully revised, extended and updated second edition incorporates recent developments in narrative theory and practice, and introduces developments initiated by other narrative therapists worldwide. New material has been added around counselling for post-traumatic reactions, couples conflict and a sense of personal failure. The book is illustrated with extensive examples of practice with individuals and couples. It is ideal for anyone on training courses in narrative therapy, and also for counsellors who wish to consider common ground between narrative ideas and their current approach. Martin Payne is an independent therapist and trainer in Norwich, UK.
Family Therapy: A Constructive Framework
by Dr Roger Lowe`I liked this book. Though I am not a family therapist, like most mental health nurses I try to bear in mind the family relationships of individuals I am working with. This is an enlightening text which not only offer a framework with which we can better understand the severe psychopathologies seen in forensic work, but also gives examples of how it may be used therapeutically' - Mental Health Practice `I think this is an important book that crystallises complex theory into a user-friendly model, using case material and discussions from the therapeutic community. A must have for counsellors working with families, this will form part of the recommended reading on the Family Counselling course' - Barbara McKay, Relate Head of Training, Relate News `The book provides a good overview of a number of recent approaches to working with families as well as how the author thinks about them' - Stephen Bray, Nurturing Potential `Roger Lowe achieves the almost impossible task of bringing together various theories, techniques and case examples in clear and accessible ways. Readers of all disciplines, from front-line hard-pressed practitioners to students on therapy and social work courses, will be grateful for the simple and, above all, useful way he tackles the burning questions that arise in working with the family group. Highly recommended!' - Harvey Ratner, Brief Therapy Practice, London Family Therapy introduces practitioners to the principles of using a constructive and collaborative approach with families. The approach builds on a strengths-based philosophy and focuses on enhancing family resilience and competence in a way that is both time-efficient and comprehensive. It brings together skills from contemporary models such as solution-focused, narrative and conversational therapies and adapts them to the specific challenges of working with family relationships. It is the first book to systematically integrate these influential approaches and apply them to family work. Setting out a clear framework for practice, Roger Lowe describes the key tasks for the therapist as: · hosting meetings · negotiating concerns, and · evoking family members' personal and relationship resources. The framework is designed to be clear but flexible, and to allow practitioners to adapt it to their own situational needs. For example, it suggests ways for practitioners to selectively 'borrow' from other therapeutic models while retaining a constructive orientation. It also explores ways in which therapists can use their 'inner' conversation during a session as a tool to overcome obstacles to the therapeutic process. Although there is a common belief that the approach is only suited to brief interventions, the author also describes ways of working constructively over a longer period of time. Throughout the book, case studies are included to show how the constructive framework is used in practice and to highlight a range of challenging situations that may be encountered during family therapy. Roger Lowe's book provides a refreshingly different approach to working with families, which chimes with the growing interest in constructive approaches. It is written for trainees and for practitioners who are interested in developing their skills in this collaborative and optimistic approach.
Brief Gestalt Therapy
by Ms Gaie Houston`Anybody with the slightest interest in brief therapy should read this book. Now that the initial controversy over brief therapy has begun to subside it is great to see how brief therapy works in practice. Gaie Houston's book is part of a series published by SAGE which sets out to do this - and hers is particularly illuminating and accessible. As she points out Gestalt is better equipped than many mainstream therapies to be applied to situations with extreme time constraints because it is both flexible and it acknowledges the part that can be played by other therapies. But what propels Houston's book out of the hum drum - or indeed the defensive (or offensive) diatribes about short therapy which have appeared over the past few years - is her vivid accounts of real-life sessions, both one to one and group, which punctuate the text' - Amazon Review Brief Gestalt Therapy demonstrates how the Gestalt approach can be used effectively in brief interventions with clients. Gestalt's distinctively integrative nature and emphasis on a highly co-operative working alliance, make it particularly suited to brief work. The book sets out the basic theory and principles of Gestalt and looks at each phase of the therapeutic process from initial assessment through the beginning and middle stages to the ending of the work. It presents clear, practical strategies for therapists to follow and in particular examines: } aspects of Gestalt which are especially relevant to brief work -} the elements of successful therapy -} ways of improving skills. Brief Gestalt Therapy includes vignettes and detailed case studies which bring the theory alive. It will contribute much to both existing literature on Gestalt therapy and also brief therapy, and will be invaluable to trainee and practising Gestalt therapists.