The Adolescent Psychotherapy Treatment Planner

Rating:
Summary: Well-done yet incomplete
Review: I bought this book to help me work with adolescents during my counseling internship. While it is very easy to follow, and the treatment plans are laid out in step-by-step precision, I was disappointed to learn that most of the extensive exercises recommended by the book require that you purchase other books. This book itself wasn't inexpensive and I wished the publishers had included reproducible copies of the exercises rather than refering you to another book. The book also includes books and games in the treatment plans which must be purchased. So while the treatment plans seem worthwhile, I couldn't put many of them fully into practice without considering more purchases.

Rating:
Summary: surface but instructive
Review: I had great hopes for this book. After I glanced at it, I purchased it immediately. It certainly does reorient you to the distinctions between goals, objectives and diagnoses, but after using it for a while, it just wasn't sufficient for those more complicated kids. I'll keep referring to it, not so much for information but to place me back on course when I'm stuck and blocked- (happens more than I'd like, when the stress gets to me,) yet I still would suggest, for more seasoned professionals, a higher level of diagnostic and prescriptive content.
If you are one of those good therapists who flounder when it comes to documentation; I'd say, "Go for it." But, if you're looking for a book to help with establishing a quality diagnosis and treatment plan for those true stumpers- sorry, this isn't the book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent resouce
Review: I have found this book of tremendous help as I have worked with children and adolescents here in the island of Jamaica. I recommend it higly

Rating:
Summary: A godsend for the busy clinician
Review: I work in a mental health agency as an intake clinician, interviewing families and children and writing assessments to be used for case disposition and treatment planning. I see 4-6 families weekly and my work load has been eased enormously with this addition to my library. It sits right next to my DSM-IV and I use it daily. The language for long term goals and therapeutic interventions are clinically sound and there are a number of options in each to tailor for specific cases.

Rating:
Summary: A great aid for clinicains.
Review: If you work with adolescent this is a great aid to writing treatment plans for a beginner or a skilled clinician. It makes following this state regulations a lot easier. I would definitely recommend this book to all my colleagues. This book has helped me write treatment plans quicker and easier then I ever thought possible. I love this series of books.