Introduction to Psychopathology

Assessment and referral skills are essential for counselors and psychotherapists. However, these skills are dependent on the practitioner′s understanding of the clinical manifestations of severe emotional distress: They must, for example, be able to recognize when clients are suffering from a psychotic episode. Introduction to Psychopathology provides a clear overview of the issues involved in our understanding of psychopathology and offers guidelines on appropriate interventions. Author Alessandra Lemma presents important topics, including how to arrive at psychiatric diagnoses and classifications, and explores issues that arise when working with clients in conjunction with other mental health practitioners. She addresses the needs of practitioners working with some of the more common forms of mental distress, including depression and anxiety, and clarifies those forms that might be less well-known, such as borderline personality disorder. A discussion of alternatives to mainstream approaches, including deconstructionist approaches, concludes the volume. Essential for students of counseling, psychotherapy, counseling psychology, and clinical psychology, Introduction to Psychopathology offers a framework for assessing clients that incorporates a broad range of models and approaches and takes into account psychological, social, and biological factors.