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4.5
Ronald J. Diamond and Patricia L. Scheifler have written a marvelous book on Treatment Collaboration, Improving the Therapist, Prescriber, Client Relationship. The books is comprehensive, dealing with the complex issues of collaborative decision making around taking medications, medical issues that arise in mental health treatment, and psychoeducation and recovery issues for clients. These are indeed all complexissues and a great strength of the book is the clarity with which they are presented. A classic in the mental health fields is called Relationship, The Heart of Helping People (H.H. Perlman, 1979). Treatment Collaboration also makes this a clear cut theme and one that is very much needed in our increasingly depersonalized world where the fifteen minute "med-check" is often the medical norm in caring for people with mental illnesses. There is an emphasis throughout this book on improving the relationships between the therapist, the person prescribing medications, and the client. "Medication is never a goal of treatment rather medication is a tool the client can use to accomplish his or her life goals" (p. 14). The authors discuss in detail how the cooperative relationships between all parties: client, prescriber, and all health care therapists are the keys to being truly helpful. Another big strength in this book is how controversial issues are so clearly handled. Our culture tends to swing back and forth between extremes. Two such in the mental illness field today are the pros and cons of medications, and the labeling of "brain diseases" vs. a more complex explanation of causalities. With detailed writings on the pros and cons of medications, the reader comes away with a much better understanding of this whole issue, and as such avoids fanatic unusable stances. This is also true with the careful presentation of the many biological and social issues that can play into mental illnesses, as they do in all serious illnesses. Inevitable conflicts between competing values that clients and health care professionals may have, as well as misunderstandings between groups, are also well described. Social barriers between physicians and nonmedical health clinicians are described, along with solution and suggestions for how to eliminate the barriers. Throughout the book problems are described, and then solutions carefully spelled out. This approach is so helpful. Other very important topics covered are psychoeducation, recovery, relapse management, and medical complications. Part III has four chapters geared towards clients, complete with a workbook they can use to help with their recovery. I highly recommend this book as a textbook for educators in all mental health fields, for college students at all levels, for family members, and for clients. It is beautifully written, compassionate, easy to understand, and comprehensive.Mona Wasow, MSSWClinical Professor EmeritaUW-MadisonSchool of Social Work
