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An extraordinary account of a nurse’s life behind the locked doors of a secure psychiatric ward. Dennis O’Donnell started work as an orderly in the Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit of a large hospital in Scotland in 2000. In his daily life he encountered fear, violence and despair but also a considerable amount of care and compassion. Recounting the stories of the patients he worked with, and those of his colleagues on the ward, he examines major mental health conditions, methods of treatment –...

Throughout history people have sought to cope with a life that is often stressful and hard. We have actually known for some time that developing compassion for oneself and others can help us face up to and win through the hardship and find a sense of inner peace. However in modern societies we rarely focus on this key process that underpins successful coping and happiness and can be quick to dismiss the impact of modern living on our minds and well-being. Instead we concentrate on 'doing, achiev...

Transformative Phenomenology captures the influence of phenomenology and hermeneutics on non-university-based scholar-practitioners who completed their doctoral education in later life, thus blending their workplace experiences with their intellectual interests. Contributions from seasoned university-based scholars expands our understanding of phenomenological inquiry in fresh ways. The concept of 'transformative phenomenology' springs from the long-term teaching and research experiences of Davi...

What is mental health in infancy and early childhood and why is it important? How does the infant-parent relationship influence development, and how do these early experiences shape our lives? How can clinical assessment and intervention focus on these early relationships to improve developmental outcomes for infants, young children and their families? This thoroughly updated and expanded edition of Clinical Skills in Infant Mental Health: The first three years provides an evidence-based and pra...

Terrible events are very hard to deal with and those who go through a trauma often feel permanently changed by it. Grief, numbness, anger, anxiety and shame are all very common emotional reactions to traumatic incidents such as an accident or death of a loved one, and ongoing traumatic events such as domestic abuse. How we deal with the aftermath of trauma and our own emotional response can determine how quickly we are able to 'move on' and get back to 'normality' once more. An integral part of...

Many of us have a tendency to measure our self-worth by comparing ourselves to others. But when we fail to reach our own, families, communities or societies 'ideals' this often results in feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and low mood. We may become self-critical, experience shame and a sense of being different from others. Although an improvement in 'self-esteem' is what we may feel we want this is not necessarily what we need. This is because self-esteem is often associated with times when...

Powerful and effective skills to help you manage psychosis, take charge of your emotions, and get back to living your life. Based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), this first-of-its-kind workbook offers real skills to help you balance your emotions and stay grounded in reality. You'll find self-assessments, worksheets, and guided activities to help you understand your symptoms and manage them in day-to-day life. You'll also gain self-awareness, learn to navigate difficult or stressful sit...

In this intimate study Juliet Miller maps the artworks that have influenced her throughout her life and examines how she has integrated them into her development as a psychotherapist. Working from the premise that our initial reactions to art provide a crucial key to self-analysis, Miller interrogates the significance of different artists, including Bourgeois, Vermeer, Rousseau and Kahlo, and analyses how personal circumstances, recollections and emotions have affected responses to their work....

Children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) are among the most marginalised people in society. They have some of the highest support needs and are most reliant on services. This accessible text presents and promotes current best practice regarding interventions to meet the complex health needs of a person with profound & multiple learning disabilities. Practical in focus, this text provides evidence-based guidance on meeting the complex needs of a person with PMLD...

President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." This quote is not only the source from which the title was borne, but also the philosophical approach toward TBI rehabilitation embraced by the 26 rehabilitation experts who wrote Work Worth Doing: Advances in Brain Injury Rehabilitation. This important, and possibly controversial, book of issues and methods addresses the full spectrum of vocational rehabilitatio...

From "the most powerful psychiatrist in America" (New York Times) and "the man who wrote the book on mental illness" (Wired), a deeply fascinating and urgently important critique of the widespread medicalization of normality Anyone living a full, rich life experiences ups and downs, stresses, disappointments, sorrows, and setbacks. These challenges are a normal part of being human, and they should not be treated as psychiatric disease. However, today millions of people who are really no more tha...

This valuable book combines psychological theories of health with the lived experience of coping with chronic health conditions, focusing on the "ill person" as an actor of their own development. It draws on perspectives from developmental and health psychology alongside the author’s personal experience of chronic illness. Bonino considers all aspects of living with illness, from issues that impact on everyday functioning such as pain and fatigue, to the rebuilding of identity through meaningfu...