Clinical Case Formulations: Matching the Integrative Treatment Plan to the Client [Paperback]

Barbara Lichner Ingram (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0471743143 | ISBN-13: 978-0471743149 | Edition: 1

A step-by-step model for individualized case conceptualization


This innovative new guide addresses the essential question facing every therapist with a new client: How do I create a treatment plan that is the best match for my client? This unique resource provides a systematic method to integrate ideas, skills, and techniques from different theoretical approaches, empirical research, and clinical experience to create a case formulation that is tailor-made for the client.

Clinical Case Formulations is divided into three parts:
* Getting Started--provides an overview that sets forth a framework for case formulation and data gathering.
* 28 Core Clinical Hypotheses--offers a meta-framework embracing all theories, orientations, and mental health intervention models and presents clinical hypotheses within seven categories: Biological Hypotheses; Crisis, Stressful Situations, and Transitions; Behavioral and Learning Models; Cognitive Models; Existential and Spiritual Models; Psychodynamic Models; and Social, Cultural, and Environmental Factors. These hypotheses are combined and integrated to develop a coherent conceptualization of the client's problems.
* Steps to a Complete Case Formulation--provides a structured framework known as the Problem-Oriented Method (POM). Using the POM and integrating multiple hypotheses, the therapist learns how to think intelligently, critically, and creatively in order to develop a tailor-made treatment plan. A list of thirty-three standards for evaluating the application of this method is provided.

With this practical guide you will learn to conceptualize your clients' needs in ways that lead to effective treatment plans while finding the tools for troubleshooting when interventions fail to produce expected benefits.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In summary, the book is a very helpful clinical guide to developing case formulations in general and a significant first effort to assist students in developing integrative case formulations in particular." (PsycCRITIQUES; 8/15/07)

Review

"[Barbara Ingram has put] a career into the development of this book and it is wonderful! My students love that it is written with them in mind and they love the statements designed to reduce anxiety and normalize the learning process. This is an excellent book!"
—Amy M Reese-Turyn, PhD, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, Lewis & Clark College

"Dr. Ingram's book is a tremendous accomplishment and contribution. She provides a step-by-step, systematic guide to case formulation and treatment planning that is simultaneously creative, integrative, evidence-based, practical and wise. All clinicians, regardless of experience or theoretical orientation, would benefit from reading it."
—Tracy D. Eells, MBA, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville

"This is an expanded version of what already was one of the most encompassing approaches to psychotherapy integration. Ingram also has added much important material on cultural considerations. The method that is described allows the clinician to approach each patient with a carefully thought out treatment plan. By taking existential and spiritual concerns into account, it goes well beyond the usual problem centered approaches. I am happy to recommend it to all practitioners."
—George Stricker, Professor of Psychology, Argosy University, Washington DC

"Two major splits dominate the field of psychotherapy today: alienation between researchers and practitioners, and the fragmentation of theoretical approaches into self-contained, frequently warring subgroups. In this contentious environment, Ingram's important book is a wonderful breath of fresh air, for she develops a dramatically successful conceptual and practical model for bridging these splits. Her approach masterfully does this first by developing a generic case formulation paradigm that is both theory and data friendly for researchers, and individual-case friendly for practitioners. Second, in a far-ranging and seamless integration of the field, Ingram demonstrates how her case formulation model can incorporate concepts and principles from a wide variety of theoretical orientations, vividly showing how the different approaches can provide complementary perspectives on the same case. This complementarily in turn provides more options for treatment planning and intervention so as to best shape the therapy to the specific clinical needs and contexts of the individual client, while at the same time providing rich material to facilitate the further development and refinement of the theories."
—Daniel B. Fishman, PhD, Professor, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 696 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471743143
• ISBN-13: 978-0471743149
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Merry's review, July 5, 2006

By 

Merry A. Lambert - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clinical Case Formulations: Matching the Integrative Treatment Plan to the Client (Paperback)

Without question this is the essential "psychological encyclopedia from A - Z" to have on your bookshelf. Dr. Ingram provides useful and effective tools for any therapist; no matter the orientation, client population or years in the field. As a recently graduated MFT Intern, I continuously refer to Dr. Ingram's Problem Oriented Method. Each and every chapter is full of helpful and expansive information and the Core Clinical Hypotheses target all relevant issues with which clients present. This makes a great gift for your therapist friend. I have and will continue to highly recommend Clinical Case Formulations to all of my colleagues.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I really wish I had listened to sentiencestudio's one star review, May 15, 2011

By 

One of Many Reviewers (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Clinical Case Formulations: Matching the Integrative Treatment Plan to the Client (Paperback)

Unfortunately, everything that sentiencestudio says about this book in the one star review is dead on. I decided to buy it anyways because there aren't that many choices of books on case formulation. I wish I had not. It is poorly researched. She often disregards mainstream psychological science for more pop self-help. For example right after going over PTSD, she starts the treatment planning section with stress management, basically saying that tools people can use include "relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation, exercise, yoga, enjoying a hobby or sport, watching TV, talking with friends, music, reading, hot baths, massage, aromatherapy, changing one's attitude, humor, prayer, ventilating feelings by screaming or having a 'good cry,' and seeking pleasurable activities" (p. 119). The next page introduces the technique of Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing which has been empirically proven to at best do nothing for people and at worst do harm. To be fair, she does include a chart of "treatments" for PTSD, but it is more an overview of different modalities, like group therapy and exposure. The only therapy she mentions by name is EMDR. She fails to mention the mainstream therapies like Prolonged Exposure Therapy. I guess they could just go have a good cry.....So these are examples of the issues of the book. She attempts to do too much. It is far from evidenced-based.

However, because I bought three case formulation books at the same time, I would like to recommend another one that I almost passed up because the one review it had only gave it 2 stars even though everything the reviewer wrote was positive. This book is actually cheaper and so much better, ugh, not happy when amazon.com reviews lie. It is called Handbook of Psychotherapy Case Formulation, Second Edition. Buy that one instead if the integrity of psychological science matters at all to you.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Psychology Reference Book, June 28, 2006

By 

FLORENCE JACOBSEN (L.A. Calif. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clinical Case Formulations: Matching the Integrative Treatment Plan to the Client (Paperback)

I am a lay person, not a professional therapist, but I bought this book because I am a psychology buff. Dr. Ingram's clearly defined outlines and examples can lead anyone interested in how psychology works through it's myriad mysteries. Her knowledge, intelligence and experience shines through, as does her warmth and acceptance of human nature. I would highly recommend this book to a Psychology Dept. that trains therapists. It's great reading for anyone who loves psychology as I do.
Florence Jacobsen