Description
Book SynopsisIn The Experiential Therapist: Phenomenology, Trauma-Informed Care, and Mental Health, Peter D. Ladd steps outside of the medical model to explore alternative ways of thinking about mental health disorders. Through case studies and analyses of current methods and research, Ladd stresses the importance of incorporating trauma-informed care, phenomenological insights, and empowerment methods in daily practice. By analyzing issues such as collaboration, wisdom, momentum, dialogue, and necessary suffering, Ladd highlights the importance of engaging with a patient’s mental health experience and its impact on her family, a consideration that is often sidelined in favor of a focus on a patient’s physiology. Ladd argues that successful treatment results from an informed understanding of a patient’s experience, not an ability to name and categorize difficult experiences as classical disorders.
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Mental Health Thinking
Chapter 2: A Comparison
Chapter 3: Collaborative Attitude vs Expert Attitude
Chapter 4: Wisdom vs. Knowledge
Chapter 5: Momentum vs. Procedures
Chapter 6: Patterns vs. Labels
Chapter 7: Dialogue vs. Discussion
Chapter 8: Nuances vs. Symptoms
Chapter 9: Ownership vs. Renter-Ship
Chapter 10: Flexibility vs. Order
Chapter 11: Dwelling (Attending) vs. Rumination
Chapter 12: Working Through Suffering vs. Relieving All Suffering
Chapter 13: Neuroscience and Human Experience vs. Neuroscience and the Medical Model
Chapter 14: Conclusion: The Experiential Therapist
