Therapy Revolution: Find Help, Get Better, and Move On without Wasting Time or Money [Paperback]

Richard M. Zwolinski (Author), C.R. Zwolinski (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 2, 2009

THE THERAPY CRISIS - Each year, millions of people enter therapy hoping and believing they'll be helped—but studies show that many aren't being helped. In fact, some patients find they are struggling with more emotional problems than before. Too many people end up stuck in therapy year after year, for no good reason at all.

THE REVOLUTION - Richard Zwolinski, a licensed mental health counselor and expert on anxiety and addiction, is a watchdog for professional ethics and patient rights. For more than twenty years he has been helping patients receive the best, most effective care for the least cost in a reasonable amount of time. In Therapy Revolution, Zwolinski puts the therapists on the couch and analyzes their performances. He exposes harmful therapy practices
and shows you exactly what you need to do to find a therapist who is ethical and competent. In this solution-oriented call to action, Zwolinski reveals:

• What some therapists don't want you to know
• The 2 essential Therapy Tools that every effective therapist must use—and why you should leave a therapist who refuses to use them
• How you can find, interview, and hire the therapist that's right for you
• The red flags that indicate therapy isn't working—and what you need to do if a therapist breaks the rules
• The 5 fundamental ingredients in the Successful Therapy Formula

THE STEP-BY-STEP SOLUTION - Chock-full of shocking, real-life patient interviews, self-assessment questionnaires, numerous checklists that lead to therapy success, therapist interview questions, and more, Therapy Revolution exposes the pitfalls of bad therapy and shows you what good therapy should look like, all while offering practical solutions for making therapy work for you.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A licensed mental health counselor specializing in the treatment of anxiety and addiction, Zwolinski (with help from coauthor C.R.) steps back to take a broad view of the therapy industry, and the growing problem of patients caught in the "therapy trap" by unproductive, inept or unethical therapists who "wallop" a client with inaccurate or exaggerated diagnoses in order keep that client coming back. In this guide to hiring "a great therapist," Zwolinski reminds patients that they should be "savvy consumers" when considering therapy, just as they would for any other important expense. He suggests a preliminary phone interview to check out prospective therapists' credentials, references, fee, approach, and other details. He also suggests that, after a few appointments, a patient work with his therapist to develop a written treatment plan, including a proper medical diagnosis (which can be looked up in a professional reference like the DSM IV), a general time-frame for the length of therapy, and agreed-upon "goals." Zwolinski's provocative call for a "therapy revolution" is authoritative and instructive, fleshing out the common wisdom stating patients are their own best advocates, and must be proactive in all aspects of healthcare.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"A valuable resource for patients and practitioners alike, setting the standard for therapy and counseling practice. If you know anyone considering therapy, or who is unhappy with their therapist, make sure they read this book." 

—Tom Butler-Bowdon, author of 50 Psychology Classics and 50 Self-Help Classics

(Tom Butler-Bowdon )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: HCI; 1 edition (October 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075731418X
• ISBN-13: 978-0757314186
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,190,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Therapy Soup on PsychCentral.com.
blog http://blogs.psychcentral.com/therapy-soup/

(Learn more about mental health, addiction, and read interviews with the country's top scientists, physicians, filmmakers and more).

Richard Zwolinski is a consultant to the behavioral health field, a psychotherapist and expert on mental illness and addiction. He is passionate about helping patients and their families get the care they deserve--without wasting time or money. In addition to his work with individuals he works with Fortune 500 companies, national athletic teams, the transportation industry, the health care industry, and others. Committment to Patient Rights and Advocacy,& Professional Ethics.

Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC, SAP, ICADC serves on the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Administrative Regulatory Relief Committee and is involved in the creation of important patients' rights regulations. He is also the provider co-chair for the OASAS Smart Records Committee which creates and implements documents designed to keep patients engaged in treatment as well as promotes therapists' adherence to treatment protocols. He also serves on the Ethics Committee for the New York State Mental Health Counselors Association. He is a consultant to government and non-governmental agencies and industries, is a regulatory compliance officer and director of an addiction and mental health treatment program, and volunteers with youth at risk.

Web Site: richardzwolinski.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Lover December 14, 2009

By Book Lover

Format:Paperback

Therapy Revolution is a surprise. It is unlike any other book on therapy out there, probably because it is exposes both the good and bad things that can happen in therapy. It specifically tells you how to find a therapist, what to look for in a therapist, how to evaluate and choose a therapist, and what kinds of "red flags" to avoid. The book lists possible "red flag violations" and explains each of them with actual stories from real patients. I've heard therapy stories like these before, but always thought people were exaggerating. Well, now I know they're not. The message is you should pay attention as carefully to what therapist you hire as to what car you buy. Apparently there are some therapists out there who will keep people who don't really need long-term therapy paying for therapy for a long time.

I have to say I felt like some of the other reviewers didn't read the same book I did. I am not a doctor, I'm an electrical engineer and I think "trusting your gut feelings" or "instincts" is not the best way to hire anyone, especially when you are potentially spending a lot of money and are looking for relief from misery. I appreciated the practical side of this book. It suggested you interview a therapist over the phone first, and gave you a list of questions to ask. It tells you to pay close attention to how the therapist spoke to you and what to listen for. Were they respectful? Did they listen to you or did they just try to push you into signing up for a paid session? Did they have qualities you are comfortable around? The book was clear that a combination of careful research, being an "educated consumer", paying close attention to what the therapist was like, and even gut instinct are all needed to make a good decision. Also the book suggests if aren't up to the task, a family member or friend can step in and help you make the decision. In fact, a parent or friend of someone looking for a therapist can read this book and learn how choose a therapist for someone who maybe isn't up to the task and give them support while they are in therapy.

Also, the part about how and when therapy should end, was crucial. Apparently, therapy actually has to end sometime and the therapist should be discussing this right from the outset. An important point.

If you've been burned in therapy or want to avoid being burned, this is a helpful read.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good start but needs more controversy November 29, 2009

By Dr Cathy Goodwin TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

As far back as I can remember, therapy has been both controversial and fascinating to many people. As a career consultant, I frequently found myself referring clients to therapists. Partly I wanted to be sure I wasn't overstepping the boundaries of my knowledge. But mostly I realized that people who have relationship, anxiety or depression challenges are often in no position to begin a career change.

At the same time, some clients reported experiences with therapy that seemed bizarre. So I was hoping for a book I could use as a reference. This book definitely fills this purpose. If a client or friend were unsure about choosing a therapist, I would suggest starting here.

The book is well-written and well-organized. I can't assess the accuracy of the information because I'm not a mental health professional, but commonsense suggests many points are well-taken. For instance, it's pretty obvious that a therapist who dresses provocatively is not a good choice. Tony Soprano's therapist would have failed that test! The outcome measures would be helpful to anyone undergoing a change process, whether they're working with a therapist, coach, or meditation practice.

So why just 3 stars? This book just delivers a straightforward "party line." The author places a high value therapist credentials, but research has raised questions about the importance of credentials for many kinds of therapy. Additionally, a credentialed therapist can depart quite widely from his or her training and can use non-standard or ad hoc techniques. The book offers many examples of people who spent thousands of dollars with credentialed therapists over a period of months, with no results. The bottom line seems to be "caveat emptor" regardless of the credentials of the therapist you choose.

The lines between therapy and other processes, such as coaching, often seem quite blurred. For instance, one case study describes a man who has trouble getting along with a family member. It's hard to say whether he needed communication skills versus understanding of patterns. Tools used by professionals, such as the DSM-IV and many tests, have been questioned and criticized. Some approaches have been found to be useless when tested by research.

The book's discussion of barriers to therapy focus on finances as well as the prospective patient's resistance. There is still some stigma around therapy, although it's fading. More important, people resist what social psychologists call altercasting, i.e., assigning an identity to someone else. Clients are equals; patients are one-down.

A few years ago, a friend experienced death of a close relative. When I encouraged her to seek some kind of support, she was concerned that a clinician would put a label on her, such as "depressed." She didn't want to be a patient or get a "diagnosis." She wanted to get on with her life. She started working with a coach but (urged by friends, including me) kept a list of therapists handy. Over a year later, she's doing well. This fear seems to represent as large a barrier as money.

Finally, although the book offers some excellent guidelines for those who really need therapy (as opposed to coaching or casework), I can't help wondering how realistic some suggestions are. A person who's feeling depressed or inadequate will have trouble standing up to a therapist.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Resource! December 13, 2009

By M. Hellman

Format:Paperback

Mr. Zwolinski's book, Therapy Revolution, is a great reference book, and a must-read for professionals, clients, and even families of client's. The book is critical to understanding the therapy process. A simple read will educate the reader on the therapy process, provide insights and ideas to those looking for counseling help, and will help to orient those looking for help to the best possible professionals.

As a special education instructor with significant experience and knowledge (not to mention a degree or two!) in counseling children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and psychotic disorders, I feel this book is important for parents and even some older clients. Mr. Zwolinski's book identifies some of the pitfalls of therapy practice, how to avoid them, and how to find a professional that is experienced and is likely to help you. Even more important, this book provides a framework to orient clients to the therapy process. The book illustrates the "process" from step 1, all the way through to successful completion of a therapy program.

Without such a read, a potential client, family member, or support person might not have the knowledge or know-how to support a person through their therapy program. This book provides the insight and tools one needs to have before setting out on a therapy program.

The book is concise, clear, and an easy read. Paragraphs and chapters are well organized, and easy to follow. This book should become a go-to-guide for those seeking a successful therapy program. most importantly, it's reasonably priced! Highly Recommended.

Mara Hellman, MA, Ed.