Psychopharmacology Handbook for the Non-Medically Trained [Hardcover]

Sophia F. Dziegielewski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 14, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0393704599 | ISBN-13: 978-0393704594 | Edition: 1

In today's era of managed behavioral health care, mental health professionals are called upon to consult on medication treatment or recommend what medications would best serve as adjuncts to therapy.

Medically trained or not, all mental health professionals need to know as much as possible about psychopharmacologic medications from dosage and side effects to drug-drug interactions and other special considerations in order to provide effective and accountable treatment. The first-ever handbook of its kind, Psychopharmacology Handbook for the Non-Medically Trained fills a noticeable gap in most student training programs by providing a reader-friendly and accessible overview of the role of drugs in mental health treatment. Emphasizing the importance of making medications available to consumers in conjunction with the most effective and efficient counseling interventions, Dziegielewski establishes the context for the therapeutic use of psychotropic drugs in the culture of today ís mental health treatments, examines the danger of the "quick fix" mentality into which consumers and clinicians are tempted to fall, and then focuses on the medications themselves. One of the most prominent and authoritative social work academics today, Dziegielewski is an authority on the topic of psychopharmacology in social work practice. The recipient of numerous honors and awards for her teaching, the creator of a popular preparation course for social work licensure, and the author of over 95 publications, she is a source to which students and professionals turn for up-to-date, accurate information on a variety of topics in the social work field. Psychopharmacology Handbook for the Non-Medically Trained is an invaluable resource guide for all non-medically trained practitioners, providing therapists, social workers, and other counselors, with effective tools and critical information to help them become better informed about all courses of mental health treatment for their clients.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sophia F. Dziegielewski is Professor and Dean of the School for Social Work at the University of Cincinnati. She is the author of over 95 publications, the latest of which is Understanding Substance Addictions: Assessment and Intervention.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (August 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393704599
• ISBN-13: 978-0393704594
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,020,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #66 in Books > Medical Books > Pharmacology > Neuropsychopharmacology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 2 Thumbs Up!, February 12, 2007

By 

Deborah Morris "2 Thumbs Up!" (Fayetteville, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Psychopharmacology Handbook for the Non-Medically Trained (Hardcover)

Anyone who suffers from anxiety and/or depression or has a loved one who suffers from mental illness will benefit from reading this book. The "Quick Tips" sections provides valuable information at a glance. Not only does this book educate the reader about medications, side effects and drug interactions, it discusses interventions, self-help techniques and current psychotherapies. This book may save someones life. I would recommend this book not only to my clients who are non-medically trained but, to any professional who deals with mental health issues.
Deborah Morris, MSW LGSW Mental Health Therapist
New River Health Association

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Any college-level collection strong in mental health references must have this., December 10, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psychopharmacology Handbook for the Non-Medically Trained (Hardcover)

All mental health providers must have knowledge about medications, as assignment of medications is no longer limited to psychiatry - and Psycho-Pharmacology Handbook is the reference of choice for any non-medically trained mental health provider who needs a clear and non-technical explanation for the latest medications. This is the first book which pairs an easily-understood discussion of the role of drugs in mental health to surveys of mental health treatment options, explaining how medications work within the mental health world, tolerance, addiction, and how to select and assign a regimen. Any college-level collection strong in mental health references must have this.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

5.0 out of 5 stars thorough and comprehensive, November 22, 2007

By 

Paul J. Fitzgerald "author" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Psychopharmacology Handbook for the Non-Medically Trained (Hardcover)

This is a very well researched, thorough, and comprehensive book about commonly used psychiatric drugs. It doesn't ramble and packs a lot of information into fewer than 300 pages. It seems to be a pretty much objective description of the characteristics of these drugs, though I get the impression that the author has a slight bias toward emphasizing the negative effects of these drugs rather than the positive. It is a very well written book that is impressive in the amount of information that it ties together in a concise manner, and it will be of interest to both the expert and the lay person, where both have an interest in psychopharmacology. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.