20 Best Books For Therapists (2023 Update)

A paperback edition of the classic guide for new therapists seeing clients for the first time.veteran therapist and mental health writer louis cozolino’s classic text contains all of the things he wished someone had told him during the first weeks and months of his clinical training. now available in paperback, the book includes guidance about working with your clients, such as how to cope with silence, handle their direct questions, and get them to talk less and say more. it also focuses on the inner experience of becoming a therapist and ways of thinking and feeling while sitting across from clients. it speaks honestly about not having all the answers, and shuttling up and down between your head and your heart, and mind and body, struggling clients sit before you. it balances the process of developing therapeutic skills while also taking an inner journey—to becoming the professional, and person, you hope to be. with a new introduction to the paperback edition, this book remains an essential clinical reference. a test bank is available for professors using the book as a course text.

Instant new york times bestseller now being developed as a television series with eva longoria and abc "rarely have i read a book that challenged me to see myself in an entirely new light, and was at the same time laugh-out-loud funny and utterly absorbing."–katie couric "this is a daring, delightful, and transformative book."–arianna huffington, founder, huffington post and founder & ceo, thrive global "wise, warm, smart, and funny. you must read this book."–susan cain, new york times best-selling author of quietfrom a new york times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world–where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she). one day, lori gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her los angeles practice. the next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. enter wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose of-fice she suddenly lands. with his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from therapist central casting. yet he will turn out to be anything but. as gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives — a self-absorbed hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys — she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to wendell. maybe you should talk to someone is rev-olutionary in its candor, offering a deeply per-sonal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly reveal-ing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.

Each clearly structured chapter opens with a concise summary, examines a specific stage in the therapeutic process, and offers workable suggestions for practice. covered are such real-world tasks as setting up appointments and discussing payment, handling latecomers and no-shows, conducting effective assessments while setting patients at ease, and formulating a treatment plan. recommendations are provided for handling mundane and serious clinical concerns, including suicidality, and for integrating psychopharmacology with psychotherapy. emphasis is also given to the therapeutic relationship: how to recognize transference and countertransference, navigate issues of consent and compliance, and much more. a wealth of sample therapist-patient dialogues are included to guide the novice therapist who feels at a loss for words, while also illustrating certain situations worth avoiding. the book concludes with a helpful glossary and suggestions for further reading.

Table of contents: 1 remove the obstacles to growth. 2 avoid diagnosis. 3 therapist and patient as "fellow travelers". 4 engage the patient. 5 be supportive. 6 empathy: lookinng out the patient's window. 7 teach empathy. 8 let the patient matter to you. 9 acknowledge your errors. 10 create a new therapy for each patient. 11 the therapeutic act, not the therapeutic word. 12 engage in personal therapy. 13 the therapist has many patients; the patient, one therapist. 14 the here-and-now–use it, use it, use it. 15 why use the here and now? 16 using the here-and-now–grow rabbit ears. 17 search for here-and-now equivalents. 18 working through issues in the here-and-now. 19 the here-and-now energizes therapy. 20 use your own feelings as data. 21 frame here-and-now comments carefully. 22 all is grist for the here-and-now mill. 23 check into the here-and-now each hour. 24 what lies have you told me? 25 blank screen? forget it! be real. 26 three kinds of therapist self-disclosure. 27 the mechanism of therapy– be transparent. 28 revealing here-and-now feelings–use discretion. 29 revealing the therapist's personal life– use caution. 30 revealing your personal life–caveats. 31 therapist transparency and universality. 32 patients will resist your disclosure. 33 avoid the crooked cure. 34 on taking patients further than you have gone. 35 on being helped by your patient. 36 encourage patient self-disclosure. 37 feedback in psychotherapy. 38 provide feedback effectively and gently. 39 increase receptiveness to feedback by using "parts," 40 feedback: strike when the iron is cold. 41 talk about death. 42 death and life enhancement. 43 how to talk about death. 44 talk about life meaning. 45 freedom. 46 helping patients assume responsibility. 47 never (almost never) make decisions for the patient. 48 decisions: a via regia into existential bedrock. 49 focus on resistance to decision. 50 facilitating awareness by advice giving. 51 facilitating decisions–other devices. 52 conduct therapy as a continuous session. 53 take notes of each session. 54 encourage self-monitoring. 55 when your patient weeps. 56 give yourself time between patients. 57 express your dilemmas openly. 58 do home visits. 59 don't take explanation too seriously. 60 therapy-accelerating devices. 61 therapy as a dress rehearsal for life. 62 use the initial complaint as leverage. 63 don't be afraid of touching your patient. 64 never be sexual with patients. 65 look for anniversary and life-stage issues. 66 never ignor "therapy anxiety." 67 doctor, take away my anxiety. 68 on being love's executioner. 69 taking a history. 70 a history of the patient's daily schedule. 71 how is the patient's life peopled? 72 interview the significant other. 73 explore previous therapy. 74 sharing the shade of the shadow. 75 freud was noat always wrong. 76 cbt is not what it's cracked up to be… or, don't be afraid of the evt bogeyman. 77 dreams–use them, use them, use them. 78 full interpretation of a dream? forget it! 79 use dreams pragmatically: pillage and loot. 80 master some dream navigational skills. 81 learn about the patient's life from dreams. 82 pay attention to the first dream. 83 attend carefully to dreams about the therapist. 84 beware the occupational hazards. 85 cherish the occupational privileges. new thoughts, new developments; a conversation with irvin d.

From "one of america's best-known psychologists" (chicago tribune) and the bestselling author of women rowing north and reviving ophelia, an essential and inspiring book for therapists and anyone seeking to live a good lifemary pipher's groundbreaking investigation of america's "girl-poisoning culture," reviving ophelia, established its author as one of the nation's foremost authorities on family issues. in letters to a young therapist, pipher shares what she has learned in thirty years of clinical practice, helping warring families, alienated adolescents, and harried professionals restore peace and beauty to their lives. through an exhilarating mix of storytelling and sharp-eyed observation, pipher reveals her refreshingly inventive approach to therapy-fiercely optimistic, free of dogma or psychobabble, and laced with generous warmth and practical common sense. whether she's recommending daily swims for a sluggish teenager, encouraging a timid husband to become bolder, or simply bearing witness to a bereaved parent's sorrow, pipher's compassion and insight shine from every page. with a preface by the author addressing recent changes in therapy and the surprising challenges of the digital age, letters to a young therapist is a powerfully engaging guide to living a healthy life.

In this book, one of america's most distinguished psychologists describes his experiences in helping people to discover the path to personal growth through an understanding of their own limitations and potential. what is personal growth? under what conditions is it possible? how can one person help another? what is creativity, and how can it be fostered? these are some of the issues raised, which challenge many concepts of traditional psychology. contemporary psychology derives largely from the experimental laboratory, or from freudian theory. it is preoccupied with minute aspects of animal and human behaviour, or with the mentally ill. but there are rebels, of whom the author counts himself as one, along with gordon allport, abraham maslow and rollo may, who feel that psychology and psychiatry should be aiming higher, and be more concerned with growth and potentiality in man. successful development makes us more flexible in relationships, more creative, and less open to suggestion and control. this book, philosophical and provocative, summarizes dr rogers' experience. non-technical in its language, it is not only for psychologists and psychiatrists, but for teachers and counsellors, religious and social workers, labour-management specialists and anyone interested in 'becoming'.

Wayne perry has been a therapist for more than thirty years, but he still hears the same thing from beginning counselors and therapists: yes, i know what the theory says, but what do i do with this particular client? drawing on his decades of experience training marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and pastoral counselors, he answers that question in the updated edition of his landmark book: basic counseling techniques. he provides practical suggestions for setting up the therapy room, using audiovisual recording equipment, and conducting those first critical interviews. you'll learn how to: apply nine different sets of clinical tools; select the appropriate tool for the appropriate clinical situation; and improve how you carry out the clinical thinking process. each chapter concludes with a "living into the lesson" section that allows you to participate in experiential exercises to master what you've learned. while designed for counselors and therapists in the beginning of their careers, even veterans in the field will find value in this updated edition.

Incorporating the thinking, feeling, and behaving dimensions of human experience, the tenth edition of corey's best-selling book helps students compare and contrast the therapeutic models expressed in counseling theories. corey introduces students to the major theories (psychoanalytic, adlerian, existential, person-centered, gestalt, reality, behavior, cognitive-behavior, family systems, feminist, postmodern, and integrative approaches) and demonstrates how each theory can be applied to two cases (stan and gwen). with his trademark style, he shows students how to apply those theories in practice, and helps them learn to integrate the theories into an individualized counseling style.important notice: media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

A comprehensive professional resource for mental health treatment–now in a fully revised and updated ninth edition the handbook of clinical psychopharmacology for therapists is the gold standard for mental health clinicians looking for clear, reliable information about the pharmacological treatment of mental health issues. organized by disorder and, within each disorder, by medication, this book is designed to familiarize clinicians and students with the basic terminology and models of psychopharmacology. this fully revised and updated ninth edition provides essential information on new medications and treatment options and includes the latest research on side effects, contraindications, and efficacy of all major medications prescribed for mental health disorders. you'll also find new chapters on sleep disorders and experimental treatments, updated information on child and adolescent psychopharmacology and the latest best practices for treating pregnant and breastfeeding patients and patients with substance use disorders. this handbook makes it simple to: get the facts about drug interactions and side effects; find out how medications affect adults, children, and adolescents differently; learn how different cultures view medical treatment, vital information for anyone who treats clients from a variety of backgrounds; and discontinue medication safely when needed. this essential guide to psychopharmacology has been adopted as a textbook at universities nationwide and is an important resource for every therapist's library.

Understand all the aspects of beginning and sustaining a therapeutic practice with the therapist's starter guide: setting up and building your practice, working with clients, and managing professional growth, a practical, hands-on guide to professional fulfillment and business success. if you’re a new practitioner or seek to grow your practice, this book will provide you with the skills you need to succeed, thrive and grow professionally and personally. equip yourself with the knowledge you need to transition to a new job or to begin your own practice.

An updated revision of jeffrey kottler's classic book reveals the new realities and inner experiences of therapeutic practice today for more than 25 years on being a therapist has inspired generations of mental health professionals to explore the most private and sacred aspects of their work helping others. in this new edition, he explores many of the challenges that therapists face related to increased technology, surprising research, the internet, advances in theory and technique, as well as stress in the international and global economy, managed care bureaucracy, patients with anxiety and depression from unemployment, dysfunctional families, poor education, poverty, parenting issues, often court mandated. consequently, there's a wealth of new information that explores many forbidden subjects that are rarely admitted, much less talked about openly. goes deeper than ever before into the inner world of therapist's hopes and fears written by jeffrey kottler the "conscience of the profession" for his willingness to be so honest, authentic, and courageous new chapters explore dealing with failures, reluctant patients, how clients change therapists, and more there is also increased focus on the therapist's role and responsibility to promote issues of social justice, human rights, and systemic changes within the community and world at large.

An updated revision of jeffrey kottler's classic book reveals the new realities and inner experiences of therapeutic practice today for more than 25 years on being a therapist has inspired generations of mental health professionals to explore the most private and sacred aspects of their work helping others. in this new edition, he explores many of the challenges that therapists face related to increased technology, surprising research, the internet, advances in theory and technique, as well as stress in the international and global economy, managed care bureaucracy, patients with anxiety and depression from unemployment, dysfunctional families, poor education, poverty, parenting issues, often court mandated. consequently, there's a wealth of new information that explores many forbidden subjects that are rarely admitted, much less talked about openly. goes deeper than ever before into the inner world of therapist's hopes and fears written by jeffrey kottler the "conscience of the profession" for his willingness to be so honest, authentic, and courageous new chapters explore dealing with failures, reluctant patients, how clients change therapists, and more there is also increased focus on the therapist's role and responsibility to promote issues of social justice, human rights, and systemic changes within the community and world at large.

Understand all the aspects of beginning and sustaining a therapeutic practice with the therapist's starter guide: setting up and building your practice, working with clients, and managing professional growth, a practical, hands-on guide to professional fulfillment and business success. if you’re a new practitioner or seek to grow your practice, this book will provide you with the skills you need to succeed, thrive and grow professionally and personally. equip yourself with the knowledge you need to transition to a new job or to begin your own practice.

'[this] is essential reading for all who aspire to professional practice to ensure that knowledge and skills are up to date in order to best serve their clients.' professor sue wheeler, university of leicester '[it] continues to be the book that one turns to when looking for a clear introduction to the broad range of therapies that are offered in the uk today.' dr nick midgley, anna freud centre this classic text has helped over 50,000 students wishing to understand the key counselling and psychotherapy approaches. this sixth edition is the most comprehensive update since it was first published in 1984, with 15 newly contributed chapters and 8 updated chapters. each approach now includes a new research section summarising the research findings, an in-depth case study illustrating how that approach works in practice, and an extended practice section. also covered: · historical context and development · main theoretical assumptions · which clients will benefit most · strengths and limitations. new chapters include compassion-focussed therapy, interpersonal therapy, mindfulness in individual therapy, pluralistic therapy and the transpersonal in individual therapy. windy dryden has worked in the fields of counselling and psychotherapy since 1975. he is author/editor of over 200 books. andrew reeves is a bacp senior accredited counsellor/psychotherapist at the univeristy of liverpool and a freelance writer, trainer and supervisor. he is former editor of the counselling and psychotherapy research journal.

Interpersonal process in therapy: an integrative model, 7th edition strongly focuses on the therapist-client relationship, offering students practical guidelines for how to understand and intervene with clients from the initial intake through termination. compelling to read and discuss — and immediately helpful with clients — the text brings together core clinical concepts and research as well as the interpersonal/relational elements from various theoretical approaches, and clearly explains how to use the therapeutic relationship to effect change. the authors help alleviate beginning therapists' concerns about making mistakes, teach therapists how to work with their own countertransference issues, and empower new therapists to be themselves in their counseling relationships. featuring new case examples, updated references and research, and extended clinical vignettes, the seventh edition of this clinically authentic text brings the reader in the room with the therapist.important notice: media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Develop essential counseling communication skills, learn to apply knowledge and skills to the core areas you'll encounter as a helping professional, andexplores the ethical, professional and cross-cultural issues so important to the counseling endeavor with skills and tools for today's counselors and therapists; from natural healing to professional counseling and its accompany dvd. role plays and demonstrations of counseling skills and process stages, presented on the accompanying dvd, provide students with the opportunity to see these essential skills in action.

I'm a therapist, and i work with the most dangerous patients. i've seen it all… a patient with ocd whose loved ones really did suffer every time he missed a ritual. a choir boy who claimed he was being molested — not by a priest — but by god himself. a patient with ptsd who gave me nightmares. a husband and wife who accused each other of abuse, and only one of them was telling the truth. and how could i ever forget, patient #220. the problem is, my patients have a habit of dying. sometimes i wonder if i'm the common denominator. or maybe that's just the cost of taking on exceptionally broken clients. either way, i'll never stop trying to help.

A session by session guide book for mental health practitioners on how to conduct evidence-based couples counseling. the book guides the therapist step by step through twelve sessions, and covers everything from the very first client phone call all the way through termination.

A clear and effective approach to learning evidence-based dbt skills–now in a fully revised and updated second edition. do you have trouble managing your emotions? first developed by marsha m. linehan for treating borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy (dbt) has proven effective as treatment for a range of other mental health problems, and can greatly improve your ability to handle distress without losing control and acting destructively. however, to make use of these techniques, you need to build skills in four key areas: distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. the dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook, a collaborative effort from three esteemed authors, offers evidence-based, step-by-step exercises for learning these concepts and putting them to work for real and lasting change. start by working on the introductory exercises and, after making progress, move on to the advanced-skills chapters. whether you're a mental health professional or a general reader, you'll benefit from this clear and practical guide to better managing your emotions. this fully revised and updated second edition also includes new chapters on cognitive rehearsal, distress tolerance, and self-compassion.

Dryden's handbook of individual therapy is now a classic text for trainees in counseling and psychotherapy. this newly updated fifth edition presents a comprehensive overview of the key approaches to individual therapy practice, including three new chapters on narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy and integrative & eclectic approaches. written by experts in their own therapeutic field, the book introduces the principles and methods of individual therapy concisely and accessibly. following a clearly defined structure, each chapter outlines one approach in detail and provides case examples to illustrate how that approach works in practice.