Doody review (2024) creating change
Reviewer:Gary Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description
This book is a manual for counselors who have clients with trauma or addiction issues. As the title suggests, the goal is to create change by exploring the past of how problems began and grew over time. There is a focus on grieving past losses and exploring a new perspective in order to live a fulfilling and productive life.
Purpose
This book offers counselors a more gentle, compassionate approach to helping people with trauma and addiction explore their past. These are worthy objectives and the book meets them.
Audience
The book is aimed at clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, mental health and addictions counselors, and psychiatric nurses. I agree with the above description of the audience but would add that graduate students in psychology and social work would also benefit greatly. The author is a credible authority on the subject matter of the book. Lisa M. Najavits is adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts and was on faculty for 25 years at Harvard Medical School. She has authored over 200 publications and three other books. Dr. Najavits has won awards for her work and has served as president of the Society of Addiction Psychology.
Features
The book begins with an overview on the topic of change, specifically for clients who are dealing with addiction, substance abuse, or both. The goal is to understand the etiology and process their pain or loss. These sessions can be conducted in individual or group format. It is evidence-based with a randomized control trial and two pilot studies. Dr. Najavits differentiates between present-focused and past-focused approaches to therapy. Creating change involves exploring the past, including painful memories, as well as an emphasis on positive memories of people who helped along the journey and resilient moments. These sessions include a check-in, inspirational quotation, handouts, and check-out. Counselors should inquire about addictive behavior during each session. There should be a written contract. The counselor utilizes a problem-solving approach and should realize that relapse is a real possibility. Also, therapists should be aware of counter-transference feelings. The book contains 23 different topic areas. The book includes digital downloads of selected handouts, online appendices, and other supplemental resources. The book is very readable and a practical guide to conducting treatment.
Assessment
This book is excellent. It is written by an expert in the field. It can be used in an individual or group format. The book is evidence-based and easy to follow. It can be used along with Dr. Najavits' other classic manual, Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse, Najavits (Guilford Press, 2001). Readers will not be disappointed with this treatment manual.
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Review published here (click the Review tab)
Description
This book is a manual for counselors who have clients with trauma or addiction issues. As the title suggests, the goal is to create change by exploring the past of how problems began and grew over time. There is a focus on grieving past losses and exploring a new perspective in order to live a fulfilling and productive life.
Purpose
This book offers counselors a more gentle, compassionate approach to helping people with trauma and addiction explore their past. These are worthy objectives and the book meets them.
Audience
The book is aimed at clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, mental health and addictions counselors, and psychiatric nurses. I agree with the above description of the audience but would add that graduate students in psychology and social work would also benefit greatly. The author is a credible authority on the subject matter of the book. Lisa M. Najavits is adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts and was on faculty for 25 years at Harvard Medical School. She has authored over 200 publications and three other books. Dr. Najavits has won awards for her work and has served as president of the Society of Addiction Psychology.
Features
The book begins with an overview on the topic of change, specifically for clients who are dealing with addiction, substance abuse, or both. The goal is to understand the etiology and process their pain or loss. These sessions can be conducted in individual or group format. It is evidence-based with a randomized control trial and two pilot studies. Dr. Najavits differentiates between present-focused and past-focused approaches to therapy. Creating change involves exploring the past, including painful memories, as well as an emphasis on positive memories of people who helped along the journey and resilient moments. These sessions include a check-in, inspirational quotation, handouts, and check-out. Counselors should inquire about addictive behavior during each session. There should be a written contract. The counselor utilizes a problem-solving approach and should realize that relapse is a real possibility. Also, therapists should be aware of counter-transference feelings. The book contains 23 different topic areas. The book includes digital downloads of selected handouts, online appendices, and other supplemental resources. The book is very readable and a practical guide to conducting treatment.
Assessment
This book is excellent. It is written by an expert in the field. It can be used in an individual or group format. The book is evidence-based and easy to follow. It can be used along with Dr. Najavits' other classic manual, Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse, Najavits (Guilford Press, 2001). Readers will not be disappointed with this treatment manual.
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Review published here (click the Review tab)