Principles And Techniques Of Mental Health Consultation

The raison d'etre of the mental health profession is supposed to be con cerned with helping. Our involvement is with people's problems-the psychological problems that incapacitate and prevent otherwise capable individuals from leading fulfilling and "self-actualized" lives. Perhaps more than most of the specialties and subdisciplines within the broad field, mental health consultation is even more concerned with helping people. Because the focus in consultation is on reaching larger numbers of people, the discipline has an even greater dedication to doing something about troubled lives. The emphasis of most consultations is on improving the quality of life for various groups of people, on making impossible living situations more bearable, and "broadly on assisting people to face the daily challenges in their lives. Mental health consultation is an effective tool for achieving these goals (see Chapter 4). And it is an art-a difficult art that requires not only special skills and special training but special kinds of personalities that can relate well to people of different walks of life, different ethnic back grounds, different religious or political beliefs, and different status or economic position. But, unfortunately, far too many individuals who are engaged in consultation have neither the requisite background nor the special skills to become the kind of artist that is required.

Collaborative Consultation in Mental Health: Guidelines for the New Consultant offers a practical guide for professionals working ‘indirectly’ with clients through consultation with staff. As resources become more scarce in public services and a greater number of people seek mental health interventions, professionals are increasingly called upon to consult with practitioners who conduct face-to-face work with clients. This book provides an essential guide for those who are interested in developing their consultation competence. This book introduces the reader to the principles of a collaborative approach to consultation with practitioners, teams and agencies working in health, education, social care and mental health. The book takes the reader step-by-step through the collaborative consultation process, from preparing and setting up the context for consultation through to communicating effectively to build cooperative partnerships, and evaluating consultation outcomes. Collaborative Consultation in Mental Health guides the consultant in how to apply and develop these principles and practices within group consultation and also addresses common dilemmas and challenges consultants encounter. Collaborative Consultation in Mental Health will appeal to both new and experienced consultants working with adults, children, older people, people with intellectual disabilities and families across a range of contexts.

A valuable book for all who are involved in applications of psychology in community settings! The highly acclaimed authors of this volume provide a comprehensive and systematic presentation of the theory and practice of community mental health consultation and population-oriented psychiatry. The text outlines recent concepts of collaboration through which mental health specialists develop fruitful partnerships with professional colleagues in a number of health, education, welfare, and religious organizations. In addition to presenting a lucid description of the evolution, development, and current status of the Caplans’ pioneering techniques, many of which have become standard practice in the mental health disciplines, the book clearly articulates the fundamental theoretical principles on which these techniques are based.

This book describes the theory, methods, and contemporary applications of consultee-centered consultation, a non-hierarchical, non-prescriptive helping relationship between a consultant and a person or group (consultee) seeking professional help with a client. The goal is to provide help in re-conceptualizing the consultee's work problem thereby 1) improving their relationship with the client and 2) expanding the professional repertoire of both consultant and consultee. Key features of this outstanding new book include the following: *Conceptual Change Focus--The process of conceptual change in both the consultant and consultee is stressed throughout the book. *Historical Perspectives--The first section describes the historical evolution of consultee-centered consultation beginning with the work of Gerald Caplan and progressing to its broad, contemporary version that accommodates various professions and multiple psychological orientations. *Numerous Examples--The book provides a wealth of examples illustrating how consultee-centered consultation can be applied within school, child-care, social welfare, hospital and corporate settings. *International Focus--The chapter contributors represent a wide range of geographical and professional expertise. *Evaluation Methods--The final section provides examples of evaluation methods. This volume is appropriate for school, counseling, and clinical and child clinical psychologists; human service professionals working with professionals from other disciplines; and special education leaders.

In an era of globalization characterized by widespread migration and cultural contacts, psychologists, counselors, and other mental health professionals face a unique challenge: how does one practice successfully when working with clients from so many different backgrounds? Gielen, Draguns, and Fish argue that an understanding of the general principles of multicultural counseling is of great importance to all practitioners. The lack of this knowledge can have several negative consequences during therapy, including differences in expectations between counselor and client, misdiagnosis of the client’s concerns, missed non-verbal cues, and the client feeling that she has been misunderstood. This volume focuses on the general nature of cultural influences in counseling rather than on counseling specific ethnic groups. Counseling practices from all over the world, not just those of Western society, are explored. Bringing together the work of a diverse group of international experts, the editors have compiled a volume that is not only concise and teachable, but also an essential guidebook for all mental-health professionals.

Providers and consumers of mental health services are increasingly making use of the internet to gather information, consult, and participate in psychotherapy. This Handbook gives practical insight into how professionals can translate their practice to an online medium. Divided into four sections, section one provides an overview of how the internet has become an integral part of people's lives, and the research to date on the use and effectiveness of counseling online, as well as idiosyncrasies of online behavior and communication. Section two discusses the "practical" aspects of counseling online, including technological issues, ethical and legal issues, and business issues. Section three focuses on performing psychotherapy online, including online treatment strategies and skills, working with online groups, online testing and assessment, and international and multicultural issues in online counseling. The last section discusses the future of online counseling. The Handbook is intended for those professionals interested in the burgeoning telehealth movement and to those practicing therapists looking for ways to expand their practices online and/or to help round out treatment to specific patients who might benefit from online therapy in addition to traditional delivery.

As a psychotherapist, what do you need to know about the law? How does the legal system support (or fail to support) your work or the delivery of mental health services generally? What can you do to make use of the law and the legal system to improve your practice and to protect yourself? Filling a significant gap in the social work and other psychotherapeutic literature, Legal Issues in Social Work, Counseling, and Mental Health presents clearly and comprehensively what mental health and other direct practice professionals need to know to respond to the legal issues that surround practice. This volume covers a wide range of topics, including providing testimony, responding to subpoenas, dealing with an attorney, influencing the legal system, and understanding the legal side of the business of psychotherapy. The author also discusses various direct practice and human service issues, incorporating some of the everyday legal issues these professionals encounter and using case material. The book educates counselors and clinicians on the function of the law in their professional lives. Through cases and case vignettes, the author illustrates the legal processes relevant to cliniciansÆ professional lives, and suggests "alternative behaviors for clinicians that would satisfy legal requirements, yet remain within sound practice." Helping to demystify the legal system, Legal Issues in Social Work, Counseling, and Mental Health will allow professionals and students in social work, human services, family studies, counseling, clinical psychology, pastoral counseling and psychotherapy a better understanding of the law.