Mental Health Practice

"Mental Health Practice: a guide to compassionate care" examines the relationship between mental health professionals and people using services during the recovery process. The disabling distress experienced by many people with mental health problems is viewed from a holistic, person-centred perspective with the road to recovery being seen as the result of true collaboration between professionals and service users.

Part 1 Meaning and Behaviour1 The nature of human distress2 Social exclusion in the experience of distress 3 Transcultural issues and the experience of distress4 Gender issues and the experience of distress5 Creative solutions to crises6 Working with risk7 A person-centred approach to assessment8 Creating pathways to recovery9 Humanistic approaches to helping and healingPart 2 The working alliance10 Beginnings and the working alliance11 A framework for the working alliance12 The working alliance as an enabling relationship13 The working alliance with families and carers14 Reluctance, resistance and disengagement15 Endings and the working alliancePart 3 The therapeutic use of self16 Dynamics of therapeutic care17 Intentional use of self in developmentally needed or reparative relationships18 Person to person relationships19 Spiritual dimensions of therapeutic care20 The shadow side of helpingPart 4 Personal management21 Personal development in professional education22 Taking care of ourselves23 Being a reflective practitioner