The Therapist's Guide to Psychopharmacology

The Therapist's Guide to Psychopharmacology offers top strategies for collaborating successfully with prescribers and presents scientific information about psychotropic medications. It discusses which medications are used for the most commonly encountered disorders and how they work.

This book is primarily intended for therapists who want to build collaborative relationships and learn about the biological information they need in order to communicate with physicians. Contributors provide information on the development of an action plan for building collaboration. For example, it reviews what a therapist might consider when deciding to refer a client to a generalist physician. The basic tenets of collaborative care are discussed beyond the communication of a client's psychotropic medication. Whether you are currently in a private practice or in a hospital-based interdisciplinary team, this section provides tools to enhance collaboration.

Subjects emphasize the important role that family members play in medication decision-making and discuss ways to involve them in treatment. Potential concerns address the family's response and insurance issues.

The Therapist's Guide to Psychopharmacology covers:

• clinical effects of hyperprolactinemia
• diagnostic indications for electroconvulsive therapy
• medication consideration in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder
• sequential treatment alternatives to relieve depression
• neurological side effects of conventional antipsychotics
• client report of most common reasons for discontinuation of antidepressant medication

Chapters feature basic neuroscience information on how the brain works and how drugs affect the brain, as well as biomedical information that you need to understand about psychotropic medications and key treatment. Plus, topics review how to combine medication and psychotherapy effectively.

Designed to give professionals an indepth look into pharmacotherapy for various mental health disorders, this text offers a conceptual framework, mind-set, and specific approaches for working in a collaborative care environment with medical professionals who prescribe psychotropic drugs to their patients. It is concise, practical, and filled with useful features including lists, tips, sample referrals, and more.