Inevitably, every psychotherapist has some experience with severely disturbed patients. Consequently, they will turn with excitement to this important new book which is a stunning attempt by two knowledgeable, persevering psychotherapists to present their understanding and sound therapeutic approach to these difficult and challenging patients. The authors argue that the treatment of choice is clearly psychotherapy and that such treatment can be successful and as long lasting for schizophrenic patients as it is for neurotic patients, but the journey may be longer and it may take more time to traverse.The task of therapy is to untangle the past from the present to make the future conceivable. The volume provides a thorough historical overview of the theoretical and clinical approaches to the problem of schizophrenia, including the views of leading contemporary clinicians on the topic. In general, the major clinical controversies have been regarded as issues of whether to focus on past, present or future; reality or fantasy; affects; exploration or relationship; whether the therapist should be active or passive; and how to handle regression. The authors argue that these are the wrong issues. They say that the task of therapy is to untangle the past from the present to make the future conceivable. Reality and fantasy are intertwined and must both be dealt with. Affects are central to all therapy, and emphasis on anger, despair, loneliness, terror, and shame are all necessary, as is the clarification of affect, and the acceptance of positive affect. Activity versus passivity is again in the wrong question; the right one is what action is helpful, when it is helpful, and when is not doing anything helpful? Regression is inevitable; should one accept it fully or try to limit it? This has no general answer other than do what is necessary (i.e., unavoidable) or most helpful to a particular patient at a particular time.

Drawing on the authors' decades of influential work in the field, this highly practical volume presents an evidence-based cognitive therapy approach for clients with schizophrenia. Guidelines are provided for collaborative assessment and case formulation that enable the clinician to build a strong therapeutic relationship, establish reasonable goals, and tailor treatment to each client's needs. Described in thorough, step-by-step detail are effective techniques for working with delusional beliefs, voices, visions, thought disorders, and negative symptoms; integrating cognitive therapy with other forms of treatment; reducing relapse risks; and enhancing client motivation. Special features include reproducible client handouts and assessment tools.

In this unique book, Andrew Lotterman describes a creative approach to the psychotherapy of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis. Lotterman focuses on specific techniques that can be used in psychological therapy with people who have symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, ideas of reference, looseness of association and pressured speech. Formerly titled Specific Techniques for the Psychotherapy of Schizophrenic Patients, this edition updates research on the biology and psychology of psychosis and explores the many controversial issues surrounding diagnosis. It also includes two new chapters on the psychology and treatment of paranoia and on the experience of having a shattered self and the delusion of being the Messiah. Lotterman’s innovative approach aims to help patients with one of the most debilitating symptoms of psychosis: the collapse of language use. By restoring language as a way of communicating the patient’s meaningful inner life to himself and to others, the patient is then able to undertake a more traditional form of verbal psychotherapy. The book presents detailed case histories of patients who have benefited from this method, highlighting the specific techniques used and the psychological improvements that followed. The approach presented here complements medication-based treatments that have only had partial success, as well as other psychological approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy and social skills training. Psychotherapy for People Diagnosed with Schizophrenia will be a valuable text for clinicians working with people suffering from psychosis, including psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, psychologists, physicians and social workers. It will also be of great interest to academics and students.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy has been successfully employed in the treatment of such problems as depression, panic disorder and phobias. Providing an approach to patients with the most intractable problems, this book details the practical application of cognitive-behavioural therapy to the pervasive disorder of schizophrenia. The techniques described in this book, drawn from relevant theory and research, are designed to complement other treatments for schizophrenia, including medication, rehabilitation and family therapies.; Making a clear distinction between the diagnosis of schizophrenia and the debilitating label of insanity, the authors contend that people with this disorder are not inherently irrational but instead suffer from a circumscribed set of irrational beliefs. The book presents easily learned techniques that professionals can employ to help patients alleviate the impact of these beliefs, and start drawing upon the strengths and rationality they possess to improve their daily lives.; Illustrated with numerous case examples, this book describes how to: work with the person to construct credible explanations of distressing and disabling symptoms; explore the personal significance of life events and circumstances and their interactions with the person's strengths and vulnerabilities; introduce reality testing for hallucinations and delusions; disentangle thought Disorder And Ameliorate Negative Symptoms; And Demystify Psychotic symptoms for individuals and their families. The book also delineates the relationship of thought, identity, insight and coping strategies to schizophrenia.; This text should be of interest to professionals working with people suffering from schizophrenia - from psychologists, psychiatrists and residential care workers to social workers, occupational therapists and nursing staff - as well as to students in these fields.

This book presents the first evidence-based psychotherapy with demonstrated effectiveness for persons with schizophrenia and related disorders. Designed to help patients both achieve and maintain clinical stability, personal therapy combines psychoeducation; internal coping skills training; and enhancement of interpersonal, social, and vocational functioning. The volume describes how to integrate the approach with medical management and provides a practical, three-phase therapy manual, fully documented with findings from the author's influential research program. Detailed information is presented on the application of graduated strategies as the patient moves from a recent psychotic episode, through the process of optimal stabilization, to the resumption of community life outside the home. Also featured are tools for monitoring progress and suggestions for tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each patient.

In this innovative book, master clinician Michael Garrett shows how to weave together cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy to support the recovery of persons suffering from psychosis. This integrated framework builds on the strengths of both methods to achieve lasting gains, even for patients with severe, chronic mental illness. The therapist is guided to use CBT to help the patient recognize the literal falsity of delusions, while employing psychodynamic strategies to explore the figurative truth and personal meaning of psychotic symptoms. Extended case presentations and numerous clinical vignettes illustrate Garrett’s compassionate, empowering approach. Winner (Second Place)--American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Category

This book contains concrete and step by step information with many practical examples. It is in line with the most actual international empirical findings about schizophrenia and contains the most updated therapy approach being available currently. The techniques and exercises (partly computer-based) are described in detail. Case examples point out specific therapeutic situations and teach the therapist how to cope with complicated group and individual demands. Assessment for patient selection, differential indication and therapy control within a multi-dimensional treatment and rehabilitation system are discussed. INT was evaluated successfully in an international randomised multi-centre study. In the meantime it is implemented in many clinical settings in German speaking countries. Integrated Neurocognitive Therapy (INT) is a cognitive remediation therapy approach. INT is the first treatment manual comprising all MATRICS areas (Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia). The NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health, USA) initiated this MATRICS initiative. MATRICS defines 11 neurocognitive and social cognitive areas of functioning being relevant for patients with schizophrenia. The improvement of these areas in a group therapy is the main goal of INT. INT is based on IPT (Integrated Psychological Therapy, Roder et al 2010). It is a resource and a recovery oriented intervention to enhance also therapy motivation and self-esteem and to reduce negative symptoms. Therapy focuses especially on group processes and the exercises augment transfer and generalisation to daily life. As a meta goal INT intends to amend life quality and the reintegration of the patients in the community. The presented manual offers the clinicians a practically orientated guide for carrying out INT.