Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists 3 Ed [Hardcover]

John D. Preston (Author), John H. O'Neal (Author), Mary C. Talaga (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001

This volume is intended as a guide to clinical psychopharmacology for nonmedical professional to help them diagnose symptoms, understand how medications work, gauge clients' response and analyze for reevaluation. This third edition reflects contemporary discoveries in the areas of neurobiology and mental illness and other information about specific treatment guidelines, with a special focus on how best to deal with difficult-to-treat patients. Contemporary developments covered include: over-the-counter treatments; expanded explanations of drug actions; theories on changes in cellular functioning and drug effects on receptors and on gene expression; and neurobiological research in the areas of neurobiology of depression, PTSD, bipolar disorders and ADD. Coverage of experimental treatments includes transcranial magnetic stimulation and vagus nerve implants.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I’m a psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist, with no medical training, and I found Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists to be a compelling and stimulating read, as well as a welcome addition to my reference shelf. This text is coherent and user-friendly, and reading it is a surprisingly pleasurable way to expand your knowledge in an area of clinical treatment usually not made this accessible to nonmedical professionals.”
—Susan Flynn, Ph.D.

“I recommend the Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists to psychotherapists from various clinical trainings and diverse clinical orientations, as well as to nonpsychiatric physicians and their prescribing assistants. One of the most valuable elements of this text is the authors’ reminder to consider when and how medication can be appropriate to treatment, and how the clinician is an essential part of the psycho-medical treatment team."

“If you have only one reference book on your shelf addressing the interface between clinical treatment and psychopharmacology, this should be it.”
—Marvin B. Berman, Ph.D.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From the Publisher

A must-have resource for all therapists that provides the most up-to-date information on the effects, side effects, and best uses of every psychoactive medication. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 3rd edition (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572242698
• ISBN-13: 978-1572242692
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,093,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Preston, Psy.D is professor emeritus with Alliant International University in Sacramento, CA and formerly with the University of California, Davis School of Medicine and the Professional School of Psychology, San Francisco. He is the author of 21 books covering topics such as: psychopharmacology, neurobiology, psychotherapy, spirituality and emotional healing. His books have been translated into 14 foreign languages. He is the author of "Drugs in Psychiatry" chapter in the "Encyclopedia Americana". Dr. Preston has presented over 500 invited talks during the past 25 years, speaking in the USA, Canada, Europe, Africa and Russia.
His strength is presenting complex information in an easy to understand way.
He is recipient of the "President's Award" from the Mental Health Association and "Distinguished Contributions to Psychology Award" from the California Psychological Association.

On a personal note, like other fellow human beings I have encountered significant emotional tragedies in my life, and hope that my books can make a difference in the lives of professionals as well as those who also suffer the difficulties of navigating through difficult times and emotional illnesses.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars User friendly and comprehensive, June 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists (Hardcover)

This book provides many charts and quick references to a broad number of psychiatric medications, but also goes beyond just a discussion of medical treatment. It provides a clear understanding of the underlying neurobiology of various psychiatric medications, presumed mechanisms of action of drugs, and practical treatment guidelines. The book also offers a nice review of psychaitric diagnosis with an eye towards medication treatment. The book is written in an exceptionally clear style and is current in terms of theories and research. I recommend it to all of my graduate students.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, concise resource, September 24, 2005

By 

Jennifer K. Paweleck-Bellingrodt, Psy.D. (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists (Hardcover)

this book is a great resource for students and practitioners alike. well-organized and written in very readable and understandable language, this book is also good for patient education purposes. it includes excellent diagrams that make information exchange with patients even easier.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview of the Basics, November 16, 2006

By 

Magpie198331 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handbook Of Clinical Psychopharmacology For Therapists, Fourth Edition (Hardcover)

I ordered this textbook for a graduate course I took this Fall. I thought it provided a good basic overview of psychopharm. The info. was presented in a way that was pretty easy to grasp. However, the book could have been more interesting if it was more detailed. If you're looking to gain a detailed understanding of psychopharmacology, this is not the text for you. But, if you want a general, basic overview of the subject, this is a good resource.