Brief But Comprehensive Psychotherapy

Book excerpt: The current healthcare environment has created a need for short-term, time-limited, cost-effective and brief forms of psychotherapy, emphasizing efficiency and efficacy. The central message is "don't waste time." But how can one be brief and also comprehensive? In his latest addition to the psychotherapy literature, the renowned Arnold Lazarus modernizes his eclectic and goal-oriented approach to psychotherapy. Dr. Lazarus employs and transcends customary methods of diagnosis and treatment by providing several distinctive assessment procedures and therapeutic recommendations. Using his traditional acronym--BASIC ID--he stresses the assessment of seven dimensions of a client's personality: Behavior Affect Sensation Imagery Cognition Interpersonal relationships (the need for) Drugs This volume contains many ideas that will augment and enhance the skills and clinical repertoires of every therapist.