Using Cognitive Approaches with the Seriously Mentally Ill - by Barbara Olevitch (Hardcover)

About the Book

This first person account of a clinical psychologist's work is a guide to the use of cognitive techniques with seriously mentally ill clients. Although it is written in nontechnical language accessible to the beginning therapist, it includes enough detailed material about the unusual thinking of seriously ill clients to expand the repertoire of the experienced therapist as well. It covers a wide range of possible applications--from individual sessions to alleviate the desperation of hospitalized patients, to the development of group preventive workshops and psychoeducational tools using interactive media.

Book Synopsis

This first person account of a clinical psychologist's work is a guide to the use of cognitive techniques with seriously mentally ill clients. Although it is written in nontechnical language accessible to the beginning therapist, it includes enough detailed material about the unusual thinking of seriously ill clients to expand the repertoire of the experienced therapist as well. It covers a wide range of possible applications--from individual sessions to alleviate the desperation of hospitalized patients, to the development of group preventive workshops and psychoeducational tools using interactive media.

Review Quotes

"Olevitch has produced in Using Cognitive Approaches with the Seriously Mentally Ill, a book which is filled with clinical detail drawing on her extensive experience in working with severely mentally ill people. I found it difficult to put down as the descriptions of the methods she has used are quite enthralling."- Dr. David Kingdon, Clinical Director/Consultant Psychiatrist Bassetlaw NHS Trust, England Visiting Consultant to Department of Health, London Co-author of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Schizophrenia

"The details that she gives in this book on her workshops and her videodisc simulation include extraordinary methods that, as far as I can see, no other psychologist-educator has presented. Her descriptions are invaluable for almost anyone working in the field of mental health."-from the foreword by Albert Ellis

"This refreshing and well-written book....is divided into several sections, each of which are punctuated with vignettes that highlight important factors in the translation from theory to practice. The basic premise of the book--that individuals with serious mental disorders can use their cognitive faculties to improve their social and instrumental functioning--is congruent with the recent tide toward consumerism, self-help, and empowerment of persons with schizophrenia and other disabling disorders. Moreover, Dr. Olevitch has created an interactive videodisk method for teaching community survival skills--a method that may herald major new pathways for serving the mentally ill in the future."-Robert Paul Liberman, MD Professor of Psychiatry, UCLA and Director, Clinical Research Center

?The book succeeds wonderfully in making good on the promise of its subtitle, namely, facilitating a meaningful dialogue across the barriers....It is difficult to gauge which is her greater achievement--her pioneering efforts across the barriers to the patient or her bridge-building back to those mental health professionals who need encouragement to make the trip.?-Psychiatric Services

?With the publication of Using Cognitive Approaches with the Severely Mentally Ill, Barbara Olevitch has added to cognitive-behavioral therapists an armentarium of techniques which can be effective with severely disturbed patients. She has advanced the application of cognitive-behavioral techniques to yet another underserved population. In sum, Using Cognitive Approaches with the Seriously Mentally Ill is a meritorious work and deserves a place on the bookshelves of readers interested in working more successfully with these challenging patients.?-Journal of Cognitive Psychology

"The book succeeds wonderfully in making good on the promise of its subtitle, namely, facilitating a meaningful dialogue across the barriers....It is difficult to gauge which is her greater achievement--her pioneering efforts across the barriers to the patient or her bridge-building back to those mental health professionals who need encouragement to make the trip."-Psychiatric Services

"With the publication of Using Cognitive Approaches with the Severely Mentally Ill, Barbara Olevitch has added to cognitive-behavioral therapists an armentarium of techniques which can be effective with severely disturbed patients. She has advanced the application of cognitive-behavioral techniques to yet another underserved population. In sum, Using Cognitive Approaches with the Seriously Mentally Ill is a meritorious work and deserves a place on the bookshelves of readers interested in working more successfully with these challenging patients."-Journal of Cognitive Psychology

About the Author

BARBARA A. OLEVITCH is Director of the Psychiatric Wellness Education Program in St. Louis, MO, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia. Olevitch received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Yale University and has worked extensively with the mentally ill.