Product Description
Until recently, the diagnosis and assessment of personality disorders had lagged considerably behind that of most other mental disorders.The IPDE is a new instrument that is compatible, through two modules, with both ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria. In the form of a semistructured clinical interview, it now provides a means of measuring major categories of personality disorders that previously had been ignored.It is also unique in that it seeks to secure reliable and uniform diagnosis that is both internationally and cross-culturally acceptable. Written by leading international authorities, this volume forms an invaluable reference manual to the IPDE instrument and its development. The book's first section includes an overview of the worldwide field trials of the interview and aspects of epidemiology that affect the current status of diagnosis and assessment research. The second section, detailing the full interview schedule and scoring system for the instrument, will further facilitate its use. ... Read more

Product Description
Although the treatment of patients with various disorders of personality have been discussed in clinical literature since the early days of psychotherapy, the general literature on the psychotherapeutic treatment of personality disorders has emerged more recently, and is growing quickly.It is also in recent times that cognitive behavioral therapists have offered a structured, active, and directive treatment approach, in addition to advocating the use of a wide range of cognitive and behavioral techniques for addressing personality disorders. Cognitive Behavior Therapy of DSM-IV Personality Disorders specifies a number of effective and realistic treatment strategies that focus on both the temperament and character dimensions of personality anddegree of severity of the disorder.

The book is divided into two parts.In the first part of the book, the author introduces the reader to the paradigm shift that is presently taking place in behavioral health in the treatment of personality disorders. He also explains both the character and the temperament dimensions that are manifest in personality-disordered individuals.The second half of the book offers a clear description of an integrative and practical approach to the treatment of the six personality disorders most commonly seen in clinical practice.Extended case studies illustrate the process of treatment for each of these disorders and show how to use these various intervention strategies.Overall, this book highlights both cognitive and behavioral interventions, catalogues the maladaptive schema observed in specific personality disorders, and outlines fifteen common structured treatment interventions.In addition, although the author emphasizes the usefulness and effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions in individual treatment, he also presents other modalities and intervention strategies.These include: medications, group therapy and interventions, family interventions, and couples therapy.

The book's focus on achieving positive treatment outcomes offers hope to both the clinician and the patient.By providing a workable, realistic treatment protocol for these six disorders, Cognitive Behavior Therapy of DSM-IV Personality Disorders proves to be a valuable addition to the library of the practicing clinician and clinician-in-training. ... Read more

Product Description
The book was first published in Dutch by Uitgeverij Nieuwezijds - this book is an English language translation, translated from the original Dutch Language version by Jolijn Drost. The book offers a conceptual model of BPD, a treatment model and an array of methods and techniques for treating BPD clients. It covers treatment planning, the therapeutic relationships, cognitive and behavioural techniques, specific strategies, behavioural pattern breaking and the termination of therapy. The appendices contain handouts for patients including a biographical diary, forms for homework assignments and problem solving and a positive self statement log. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent resource for motivated clinical providers
Schema therapy is not an easy treatment model to master.Even for experienced cognitive-behavioral therapists, it is a complex approach to our most complex cases.I encourage anyone wanting to master this method to buy the latest materials from Jeffrey Young's schema therapy web site.

You can also do a lot worse than to buy and closely study this book.You may not knowingly treat borderlines, but after reading this book you may recognize borderline pathology in some of your current clients.Their presentation of mode work, working with the different modes as they appear in treatment, working with modes over time, and their matrix of cognitive, affective and behavioral strategies in the past, present, and future all help me to structure my therapeutic work much better than I could before reading this book.Several tables I have copied off into forms I can have on a clipboard while I work on particular cases, as a way of keeping track of what I need to be doing.

Upshot:Unless you are currently being supervised by an experienced schema therapist who knows Cluster B treatment issues, you will gain a lot from this book that it is hard to acquire any other way.This book is even more helpful than the chapter in Young's book, which itself is quite helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring case vignettes from nearly 30 years of Dr. Yudofsky’s clinical practice and incorporating the knowledge of gifted clinicians, educators, and research scientists with whom he has collaborated throughout that time, Fatal Flaws: Navigating Destructive Relationships With People With Disorders of Personality and Character uniquely captures the rapidly increasing body of clinical and research information about people with severe and persistent personality and character disorders.

Within these pages, the author brings to life the psychopathologies of personality and character disorders through vivid vignettes based on composites of his many patients and their most important relationships—while meticulously changing the identifying facts and relevant details to protect confidentiality.

Covering the clinical course, treatment, genetics, biology, psychology, and destructive consequences of hysterical (histrionic), narcissistic, antisocial, paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, addictive, borderline, and schizotypal personality disorders, Fatal Flaws stands out in the literature for these powerful reasons:

• It is written for an unusually broad audience, from mental health students and trainees of all disciplines, to highly experienced clinicians, to patients who suffer from or are in destructive relationships with people with personality disorders.
• It is a hybrid—part psychiatric textbook for clinicians and part self-help manual for patients and clients with personality and character disorders.
• It is designed to supplement treatment by providing patients with practical, evidence-based information about personality disorders and character flaws.
• It is particularly valuable to patients who are in psychotherapy, in part, because they are entangled in destructive relationships with people with disorders of personality and/or character.
• It is written in the first person, with the author directly communicating with a patient who either has a personality or character disorder or is in an important relationship with a person who has such a disorder.
• It is useful for people who are uncertain whether they or their loved ones have personality or character disorders, and who want to know more about these conditions and their treatments before making a decision about securing the help of a mental health professional.

Fatal Flaws: Navigating Destructive Relationships With People With Disorders of Personality and Character is a compelling volume that provides the essential information and a realistic sense of the clinical experience required to inform, orient, and support novice mental health professionals and seasoned practitioners alike as they face the ongoing challenges of treating patients or clients with personality or character disorders. It should also prove to be an invaluable resource for those who wish practical and effective help in understanding and changing their destructive relationships with people who have severe and persistent disorders of personality and/or character. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fatal Flaws
The book was received in a timely manner.When removed from packaging, was in excellent condition.Would order again, when and if there is another product that I would want.

Excellent
This book saved my marriage, I really began to understand my husbands ex-wife and her BPD, as well as how to keep her out of our lives with using the techniques described in the book.

eye opener
I wish that I had read this book long ago. Persons with personality disorders can cause serious damage in the lives of those around them, yet most persons know far too little about these disorders. What I found most useful were the first three chapters, wherein Dr. Yudofsky offers valuable tools to discern whether others may have personality disorders and also nine helpful guiding principles. But the other chapters give the reader an overview of what each of the disorders may look like. Great intro to the topic.

FATAL FLAWS
I read and re-read this book marking each page of those in my family and others in my life who clearly exhibited many of the
symptoms and disorders so clearly explained with case studies and symptomatic charts..Dr. Yudofsky's ability to pinpoint whether these FLAWS and FATAL FLAWS can be treated was excellant...
I highly recommend this book to the lay person or professional in need of THEIR OWN role clarification with FATALLY FLAWED people in their lives.

Ineffectual Insight
This book is the work of a medical bureaucrat struggling to claim a legacy of insight. In short, a failure in motive as well as design and execution. ... Read more

Product Description
"This is the first coherent autobiographical study of its kind, and it is absolutely mesmerizing....Simply not be be missed."
THE DETROIT NEWS
When Joan Frances Casey "awoke" on the ledge of a building ready to jump, she did not know how she had gotten there. And it wasn't the first time she had blanked out. She decided to give therapy another try. And after a few sessions, Lynn Wilson, an experienced psychiatric social worker, was shocked to discover that Joan had MPD--Multiple Personality Disorder. And as she came to know Joan's distinct selves, Lynn uncovered a nightmarish pattern of emotional and physical abuse, including rape and incest, that nearly succeeded in smothering the artistic and intellectual gifts of this amazing young woman.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Extra fascinating!
I saw this title noted in Dr. Nancy McWilliams' book, "Psychoanalytic Diagnosis", and it appealed to one of my special interests.I am mulling through it now with considerable interest, thank you. D. M. Kelly

Careful.
The reader of The Flock should be extremely careful.The disorder is presented in a way that is highly consistent with the way Multiple Personality Disorder used to be conceptualized--a series of warring and interacting people within a single body.In modern times, the name of the disorder has been changed to Dissociative Identity Disorder, to specifically change the focus of thought.It's not about many people living inside a single body, but rather a single person who has been so harmed by trauma that they have begun to dissociate themselves with that trauma in an extreme way, by creating "alternates" to themselves.
It should be noted that this book is at times extremely fantastic, over the top, and presents a number of inconsistencies; for example, it is noted at one point that the "Isis" personality held control of the author's body for a sixth month period without interruption.While introducing "Isis" to the reader, however, she mentions that she wasn't in control much of the time, and only escaped occasionally.Another example of rather fantastic or fictionalized writing occurs when the flock (the series of dissociated personalities that are Joan Frances Casey) decide to make their therapist a gift.They present her with a tree that has a large number of paper snowflakes decorating it.The therapist comments that there are many snowflakes on the tree, and it suddenly strikes them both that this number (24) must be the number of personalities.
Frankly, the way the book is written, the reader is forced to either buy into the extremely fantastic paradigm, or question whether the therapist was doing damage to the patient.It seems likely that she was suffering from some form of dissociative disorder, and while I don't question the diagnosis, it is probably that the extreme involvement affected the patient in potentially adverse ways.Casey was extremely susceptible to suggestion, and with the extremely rapid diagnosis that the therapist makes, the educated reader is forced to wonder if Casey is another terrible example of a deeply ill person internalizing and "making real" their misdiagnosis.At this point, it is impossible to say.What is certainly true is that whether the diagnosis is accurate or not, the case as presented in The Flock is extraordinarily fantastic, and likely highly dramatized.It would not be a good idea to use this book as a reference in any sense.
That said, this book isn't BAD, per se.The inconsistencies make it weak, but it reads similarly to many Hollywood depictions of Dissociative Identity Disorder.If it must be read, the reader should do so skeptically, and decide for themselves how they feel about Casey's situation and whether or not it was handled appropriately or seems believable.

Incredible story
I read this book a few years ago, and it still sticks in my mind as being the best-written memoir I've read to date. The Flock is brilliant writing that gives detailed insight into the mind of a multiple. It has definitely helped me know how to understand those I pray with.
I now know what those with DID are talking about when they say they are tired all the time or can't remember simple things from the past, or even that morning. People with DID are multi-talented, highly intelligent, and can cope with much more than the average person; however, it is sad that their coping mechanisms of creating more parts continues into adult life, when safety and protection by parts should change into living in the reality of life with the whole strength of the integrated personalities (or at least, a reduced number).
Shattered into pieces and then fused by love, hopefully this book will continue to bring hope to those who struggle to become whole.

A personal favorite.
I first came across this book when it was assigned for a Women's Narratives course I was taking at the University of Oregon.It quickly became one of my favorite books.Although I don't have DID/MPD, this book is like a guide to life for me.It has helped me immensely in my personal life.Not only did I learn to love every member of the Flock, I love Casey's therapists, Lynn and Gordon like they were my own parents.This is an amazing story that is crafted with all the care and respect it deserves; I am thankful beyond words to Joan Frances Casey for sharing this work.

truly extraordinary story
I could not put this book down.Joan et al's story was captivating and I so admire her ability to cope with her childhood trauma in such an ingenious way.The book speaks to how the human psyche works when faced with the emotional, physical and spiritual pain of abuse.The relationship between Joan and and her therapist Lynn is unconventional, but so beautiful and courageous as it unfolds.There are surprises and triumphs at every turn of the page.Thank you Joan Frances for sharing your story so candidly. ... Read more

Product Description
Kantor focuses on a misunderstood but common condition that brings severe and pervasive anxiety about social contacts and relationships. He offers psychotherapists a specific method for helping avoidants overcome their fear of closeness and commitments, and offers a guide for avoidants themselves to use for developing lasting, intimate, anxiety-free relationships. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Kantor is out of touch with modern psychology and the scientific community
Clinicians, researchers, and students seeking a clear picture of what AvPD looks like and how it functions will find no such depiction in this book. "Distancing" is less fact than it is poetry and fantasy. Kantor relies on pop-psychology ideals and strays lightyears away from the actual, accepted DSM-IV-R criteria for the disorder.

There are virtually NO empirical data given to support Kantor's claims. Instead, he heavily emphasizes Freudian writings (esp. "Totem and Taboo") and uses them as "sufficient" justification for his own conclusions. In fact, nearly a third of his references are from Freud; other references include fictional works such as "Madame Bovary." The bulk of Kantor's "data" derives from a handful of idiosyncratic individual cases, rather than from systematic examination of the AvPD-diagnosed population. Science is all but absent from this book.

Kantor's books on AvPD cannot be used as reliable tools for identifying, describing, or treating AvPD. His over-reliance on the outdated psychoanalytic/psychodynamic schools of thought and his outright avoidance of solid scientific data severely limit his ability to provide anything more than a minsinformed and stereotypical caricature of the disorder.

Kantor is clearly out of touch with the scientific community. The psychiatric and psychological literatures are in desperate need of a solid, in-depth examination of AvPD; this book isn't it. If you still want to read this book, get it at the library. You'll quickly learn it's not worth the fifty-some dollars you'd spend.

Distancing...
Well I read it and it took awhile. I found the book helpful although it was a bit difficult to read. I especially liked the fact that Mr. Kantor brought up the need for someone with AvPD to change and not change his enviroment. Although, I don't believe that is entirely correct; the seniment is correct. I really wish there was more on AvPD. Mr. Kantor is correct to assume that there is too little information on the subject. People with this disorder live very difficult lives and probably have had to overcome many obstacles in life such as incredably difficult childhoods. This book expands far beyond the DSM-IV TR explanation of AvPD and I suggest reading the book to anyone who knows someone or is afflicted with the disorder. To the people who wrote the there is too many gay references in this book I say to you that gays are people too and I suggest reading Michael Kantor's other book on Homophobia.

Breaks new ground, and reads like a charm
Here's a book for you if you are an avoidant, have avoidant friends and family, or just want to learn more about why humans don't always get as close to each other as they might and what they can do about getting closer. This is as thorough an exploration of a topic as exists in any psych book I have ever read for Kantor, a psychiatrist, has written a text that describes AvPD in rich detail, thoroughly explores its psychodynamic cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal causes, then focuses on the point of the thing: a causally-based treatment that specifically involves avoidance-reduction, which is a predominantly cognitive behavioral technique that getting beyond causality asks the individual to relearn patterns directly in addition to understanding them fully.

Disappointing
First of all this book is 265 pages and it should have been less 100.It is the most redundant book I have ever read.

Secondly, it seems to me a very superficial look at avoidant personality disorder.There are some sections of this book that are so superficial he should have left them out altogether.He classifies them into different groups and provides examples (way too many) of what type of behavior exemplifies a particular group.He does not delve into their psychology though.I don't find it useful just to be able to classify someone.I wanted to understand why they think like they do or behave like they do, even if it is theoretical.

Overall, it seems like his objective was to describe avoidants or identify them rather than figure out why they are like they are.It might be somewhat useful to an avoidant person to read the book just because they might recognize themselves in here somewhere.

About 17 pages are devoted to cause (at least 5 of which were examples).This chapter should be the center of the book if you want to understand the disorder, but it was treated superficially as well. Again, he seems to be describing the possible causes without explaining them.You expect some analysis from a psychologist, but he doesn't offer any.

Distancing 2003 A Winner
I bought this book because I myself have a relative with avoidant tendencies and wanted to learn as much as I could about AvPD. I certainly learned a lot from this thorough, well-written, reader-friendly book, including that my relative is indeed avoidant, that she is not alone, and that there is help for her available (too many of my relative's therapists failed to make the diagnosis and if they made it didn't really know what to do to cure her of the problem ) I did become suspicious that the few reviewers complaining that this book is mostly about gay men were overreacting, so I counted up the examples (about 250) and how many of them were actually about gay men (20), which is about 1 in 10, which is representative of the proportion of gays to straights in the general population. To me, the examples were right on, and illustrative of the author's technical points, helping to explain even the more difficult among them. Another criticism, that the traits cited as representative seemed to be too nonspecific, comes down to what I think is the failure of the reviewers to distinguish between a trait (symptom) and a diagnosis (syndrome). Sure, a lot of the behaviors cited were nonspecific, but the author never said that because an avoidant behaves as X that behaving as X means the individual is an avoidant. Highly recommended, and with few to no reservations. ... Read more

Product Description
Mentalizing - the ability to understand oneself and others by inferring the mental states that lie behind overt behavior - develops during childhood within the context of a secure attachment relationship. It is crucial to self-regulation and constructive, intimate relationships. Failure to retain mentalizing, particularly in the midst of emotional interactions, is a core problem in borderline personality disorder and results in severe emotional fluctuations, impulsivity, and vulnerability to interpersonal and social interactions. Mentalization-based treatment for borderline personality disorder is a 'How to Do It' book outlining a clinically proven treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. Containing illustrative clinical examples, it details precisely how to develop and implement treatment and is a companion to the highly successful book Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder - mentalization based treatment. This practical guide explains how to treat borderline patients by helping them develop a more robust mentalizing capacity within the context of an attachment relationship.It provides the practitioner with everything they need to know about how to practise mentalizing treatment in day patient and out-patient settings. Enough theory is provided to orientate the clinician and there is step-by-step practical advice on the assessment of mentalizing and interpersonal relationships, how to structure treatment, the use of basic mentalizing interventions and how to apply them, as well as information on what not to do. In addition, it includes a check list to be used in the assessment of mentalizing and a self-rating exercise for practitioners to evaluate their adherence to mentalizing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I haven't finished the book yet
For someone in the psychology field, I have to say this book is a must. Especially for those of us wanting to further our studies past undergrad work.

The book is quite dense at first, but after a while you get into the author's "writing groove" and it begins to read somewhat smoothly. ... Read more

Product Description
This well-documented and articulate manual gathers in one place the psychodynamic psychotherapy thinking and research on each of the Axis II personality disorders. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders: A Clinical Handbook includes the work of 22 contributing writers in addition to the three primary authors, John F. Clarkin, Ph.D., Peter Fonagy, Ph.D., and Glen O. Gabbard, M.D. Each contributor has extensive clinical experience, and some also have research experience, with the assessment and treatment of specific personality disorders. The focus of the book is the psychodynamic conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of the personality disorders as currently described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The 16 chapters are divided into sections that address the definition of personality pathology, approaches to treatment, and research for future directions. The authors conclude that to the surprise of many new research and reviews indicate that psychodynamic treatments are effective for personality disorders, and their impact is as great as that of cognitive-behavioral treatments. ... Read more

Product Description
The culmination of 40 years of research into the personality disorders, this book documents the breakthrough integration that has brought Dr.Masterson’s theory into its fullest possible dimension. Initially descriptive, it evolved into a developmental theory, then into a developmental object relations theory, and, finally, into a developmental self and object relations theory. Now, with the recent emergence of attachment theory and the theory of the neurobiologic development of the self, the picture is complete and a clear and comprehensive statement to depict the origin and development of the personality disorders has taken shape. Dr. Masterson and his fine team of coauthors have assembled a rich and comprehensive volume that features discussions of transference and countertransference, consciousness, mother-infant attachment, the psychotherapy of trauma, and therapeutic neutrality under challenge, among many other important topics. The members of the team are Margot T. Beattie, Barbara L. Short, Donald D. Roberts, Ken Seider, Steven K. Reed, Joseph Farley, Jerry S. Katz, and Judith Pearson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Latest Masterson's work
This book unravels exactly what the title sets out to do. It is an investigative discourse into the fundamendal developmental phase of the Mother-child dyad. It gives biological evidence as to the importance of Neural networks being established "through the lens of ATTACHENT THEORY" The work rests a lot on Bowlby's earlier work - but takes the empirical evidence of bonding/or lack thereof and it's neurobiological function in the psychological growth of 'THE SELF'. It offers a very convincing argument to the existence of Neural deficits in various PERSONALITY DISORDERS. Excellent!

Best Explanation on Disorders of the Self
Dr. Masterson's object relations theory and theory on disorders of the self offers answers to the pathology of personality.His in-depth description of the origin of disorders of the self gives the reader an excellent explanation as well as an extraordinary upgrade on integrating the dynamic of individuals facing the challenge of emotional dysregulation, attachment, individuation and interpersonal dysfunction by incorporating neurobiology, developmental and object relations theories.This book is a well-crafted text containing chapters written by faculty trained by him that will help the reader understand the origins of psychological and emotional suffering leading to a pathway of improvement of disorders of the self.A definite collector's book.

The Neurobiology of Attachment !!
Dr. Masterson does it again, this time by offering a"cutting edge" new clinical paradigm in which personality disorders and their fluctuating mood states are best understood through the lens of their difficulty with attachment. This indeed provides an alternative to a profession that has gone pharmacologically mad without appropriate clinical and theoretical understanding of human behavior.

Sure to be a Classic
This book represents a synthesis of decades of research and clinical experience treating persons with disorders of the self. Here a true Elder Analyst reviews the work of his life and gives an excellent perspective of the field. The book integrates current research from the field of Attachment Theory and Neurobiology with a Developmental, Self, and Object Relations Theory.The book goes beyond theory to present practical clinical tools for treatment of the persons with Narcissistic, Borderline, and Schizoid Personality Disorders: a population once thought to be untreatable. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents the evidence-base for links between personality traits, psychological functioning, personality disorder and violence - with a focus on assessment and treatment approaches that will help clinicians to assess risk in this client group.

• An evidence-based examination of those personality traits and types of psychological functioning that may contribute to personality disorder and violence- and the links that can be made between the two
• Each chapter tackles an area of personality or psychological functioning and includes a developmental perspective, discussion of how to gauge risk, and an outline of effective treatments
• Traits covered include impulsivity, aggressiveness, narcissism and the ‘Big Five’ - neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness
• New for the prestigious Wiley Series in Forensic Clinical Psychology, a market leader with more than 20,000 books in print

Product Description
In the first book to demonstrate that personality disorderscan indeed be diagnosed and treated even in the young, renowned childpsychiatrist Paulina Kernberg and her colleagues structure a mightyscaffold to support the evidence in hand and the evidence to come.. Their developmental perspective informs their identification ofemerging pathological features at all levels of personalityorganization--neurotic, borderline, and psychotic.Marshalingcommanding evidence from the literature (organized according to DSMnosology in order to preserve a common frame), the authors inflecttheir review of differential methods of assessing personality traitsand behavior patterns with material drawn from their own clinicalresearch and practice.Their textured portrayal of each individualdisorder --hysterical/histrionic, avoidant, obsessive compulsive,borderline, narcissistic, antisocial, schizotypal, paranoid-- inchildren and (separately) in adolescents puts an authoritative end tothe ongoing debate.

This an unparalleled source of scientific scholarship and clinical wisdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good book
I bought this with a few others like it because I was in need to research this disorder. I didn't read it cover to cover, but the information I pulled from it was very useful.

The encyclopedia for psychologists
This book really shows how to recognize and work with children with personality disordersIt truly amazed me...I could relate to what the book is about because one of my children has a personality disorder.
Overall, it'sone of the best books on that subject.
Bravo, bravo.

Shloime Levkowitz ... Read more

Product Description
Harvard University, Boston.Presentation of the author's theories on the effects of childhood sexual abuse on emotional development. 26 contributors, 20 U.S. DNLM: Borderline Personality Disorder - etiology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is an excellent review of a sensitive topic.
Many clinicians and patients are puzzled by the connection between trauma and bpd.This is a well-edited collection of scholarly, thoughtful, and balanced perspectives on these topics.This book is highly recommended forall readers interested in this painful area. ... Read more

Product Description
The older adult population is booming in the United State and across the globe. With this boom comes an increase in the number of older adults who experience psychological disorders. Current estimates suggest that about 20% of older persons are diagnosable with a mental disorder: Personality disorders are among the most poorly understood, challenging, and frustrating of these disorders among older adults. This book is designed to provide scholarly and scientifically-based guidance about the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of personality disorders to health professionals, mental health professionals, and senior service professionals who encounter personality-disordered or "difficult" older adults. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great textbook on the personality disorders
Overall, this book is very enjoyable to read. My favorite parts are the case studies because they bring the disorders to life. The other strengths of the book include its logical organization, the clear and graspable writing style, and the detailed comparison of psychological instruments available for assessment of the personality disorders.

If you're interested in learning about the personality disorders, and want to see how they affect older adults, this is a great book!

Personality Disorders and Older Adults
As an undergraduate student I found this book very helpful in understanding personality disorders in general as well as understanding the challenges they pose for older adults and clinicians. This book is organized in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner with case examples and sections in each chapter focusing specifically on issues relating to older adults.The authors do a good job of thoroughly covering diagnosis, assessment, and treatment for older adults and challenges that accompany each.I found this book very informative as well as interesting to read.A good book all around!

From a student's perspective...
I read this book for an undergraduate course, and I was very pleasantly surprised by what an enjoyable read it was (as you don't generally expect that from a text book!). I found it to be very thoughtfully laid out - when one chapter would raise a question for me, I would find the answer to it in the following chapter. It presents complex concepts in such a manner that they are very easy to understand, which is always a bonus when it comes to textbooks.

My favorite aspect of the book is how extensively the topic is covered. As a psychology student, I find that other text books talk a lot about mental disorders, but do not touch on issues of diagnosis or treatment. This book does that quite well. The chapters that talk about the disorders in detail also provide case studies for each disorder - I found these to be quite helpful, making the rather stiff, cut and dry diagnostic criteria of the DSM much easier to understand and recognize.

All in all, a most enjoyable book! ... Read more

Product Description
For decades, The Rorschach Inkblot Method (RIM)—the most popular of the projective tests—has been routinely employed for personality assessment and treatment planning. But in recent years, it has not been free from controversy. Criticisms of its validity and empirical support are catalyzing new efforts to strengthen its foundations and document its broad utility. Among the most common—yet also most confusing and challenging—categories of clinical disorders is the personality disorders. However, minimal data have been available on the RIM evaluation of most of those found in DSM-IV. This welcome book constitutes the first research-grounded, comprehensive guide to the use of the RIM in assessing personality disorders. The first section offers a theoretical overview of personality disorders and constructs a framework and compelling rationale for the legitimate role of the RIM in their assessment. The second, third, and fourth sections present Cluster A disorders—paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal; Cluster B disorders—antisocial and psychopathic, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic; and Cluster C disorders—avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive. The fifth section presents passive aggressive and depressive personality disorders, currently being proposed for DSM inclusion. Each chapter in these four sections includes an extensive description of the disorder, a review of empirical studies of the use of the RIM to assess it, an analysis of the Rorschach variables that may characterize patients diagnosed with it, and a depiction of a real case and discussion of the ways in which the RIM contributed to its formulation. The sixth and final section explores the relationship between psychoanalytic theory and the RIM. Rorschach Assessment of the Personality Disorders brings practical help for clinicians and clinicians-in-training, and suggests new paths for researchers seeking to advance our understanding of the complexities of these disorders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A great idea for a book, but didn't quite work for me
Eclipses is an unusual mixture of a biography and a general information text that didn't quite work for me.

The author draws on her own and fellow patients' experiences of recovering from BPD in a DBT-based inpatient programme. This book could have been a vivid description of what it's like to suffer from BPD, an insight into how treatment works from a patient's perspective, and a source of hope for other sufferers. You can find glimpses of all those things in Eclipses, but they don't shine through because of the way the book is written and structured. It's not a conventional biography that tells a story from beginning to end. Instead, it's presented as an informative book about BPD, which uses the author's and others' experiences as case studies to illustrate points.

Does it work better as a source of information, then? For me it didn't because the focus is so narrow. The chapter on what BPD is only describes the symptoms of a few patients (who have multiple diagnoses), so that some of the key features are not mentioned at all, and the reader could easily be misled into thinking that symptoms of depression or other disorders are also symptoms of BPD. The chapters on treatment describe the programme at one hospital (now closed) in great detail, but there is no general information on other approaches, or even on how DBT might work in a different setting.

If you're looking for some reassurance that people can and do recover from BPD, Eclipses is worth a read. If you're looking for facts, it also makes an excellent case study of how a particular treatment works from the point of view of the patient. However, it is hard work to read as a biography, and if you're looking for general information on BPD and treatments, there are many better books out there such as The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide.

Heartfelt & insightful but not a self help guide
I purchased this, along with several other books, to try to find help for a loved one suffering from B.P.

This book was by far the easiest to read, and was far more insightful than the outdated "I Hate You-Don't Leave Me* Understanding the Borderline Personality" book (it isn't a bad book, but it is in dire need of updating).

Pros: Gives an excellent insider's view of what having Borderline Personality is like.Gives great case examples of real people who have been successful in their treatment of B.P.Gives an in-depth look, from the patientsf eyes, of DBT Dialectical Behavior Therapy; which has been shown to be effective in treating B.P.Easy to read, yet at the same time engaging.

Cons: Poorly organized, seems to jump around a bit much; too many acronyms make it difficult to remember who the author is referring to.Not a self-help manual or a guide to helping people with the disorder.More of a portrait of B.P. from an insiderfs perspective.

I recommend this book for anyone who is looking to better understand this disorder, as well as anyone with a loved one suffering from B.P.It will help dissolve many of the common stereotypes associated with the disorder.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to enroll in a long-term hospital program that specializes in B.P.The book may be a bit frustrating for those of you, who like me, are trying to orchestrate some level of decent care from the meager resources that are available.

It's worth reading, but remember that it is only a portrait of how a handful of women overcame their disorder in what sounds like an exceptional facility (which, sadly, has now been closed).

Good Material, Just Not Balanced
I'm the webowner of Borderline Personality Disorder Today. Theauthor has some really good material in the book about DBT and how it hasassisted her in her own recovery. I believe sharing her experiences as anin-patient at Highland Hospital are particularly important. However, thebook focuses on only one aspect of recovery as if DBT is the *only* avenuethere is to recovery from the BPD. Medication is not discussed which isextremely vital especially with what the research is saying about howhelpful medications are in providing assistance with many of the BPDsymptoms. The only thing I disagreed in the book was her statement"While disability is a godsend for many former patients who do nothave sufficient financial resources, the public needs to be made aware thatsuch a resource is an enabler rather than a tag of inability." I haveread that as many as 33 % of BPDs are disabled, not because they want to beenabled, but because their illness has truly prevented them from sustaininga job. Would I recommend you buy the book? Yes, there is some good materialthere there that is important for BPD recovery.

Heartfelt, Understanding, but flawed.
As a therapist, Melissa's personal accounts are inspiring and heartfelt.She presents many of the difficulties of this disorder in an understanding & compassionate way.Very happy to see her inclusion of DialeticBehavior Therapy info & materials.However, I don't think the book isvery well organized.Example:Chp. 2 on Inpatient Therapy seems a bitpremature & could be frightening to clients who are new to theawareness of their diagnosis. There are examples (the one of the otherpatients using restraint on another patient) that if they are questionable,and I believe they are, shouldn't have been included.I would hesitate torecommend this book to my clients because of such examples although I amalways looking for new materials to inspire hope in my clients and to gettheir cooperation for the use of DBT materials.I would encourage Melissato do a revised version looking at content organization, making the writingmore fluid, and the use of appropriate helpful examples.

Excellent for anyone seeking understanding of BPD.
Written in first-person by someone who truly knows Borderline Personality Disorder, this novel-that-reads-like-non-fiction is A MUST for those who wish to understand and help a loved one with this illness.The writergives a portrait of several other patients, thus providing a poignant lookat the shapes and intensities BPD can have. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Practical Guide in Recovering from BPD
This book gave me specific steps to overcome bpd. It was great to have the written exercises upon which to journal. I was able to guage what needed to be learned and what had already been incorporated into my emotional growth. It great validation that I wasn't a nut or rage-aholic. I use medication to take the edge off many disruptive behaviors. yet without this book I wouldn't be in the recovery zone.

Help Yourself and Your Therapist
Every therapist who treats people with borderline personality disorder should use this book.It's an organized way to move through steps necessary for the recovery process.Would also work great in a group therapy setting with an "AA" type approach.I would recommend this to anyone recovering from this disorder.

Real help, practical advise
This book is an excellent guide for understanding borderline personality disorder and addictive behaviors. It clearly outlines the recovery steps someone with these disorders must take to live their life again.This book is very helpful to read as a family member of someone with bpd, as it gives you insight into how to have a relationship with someone recovering from borderline and other addictive behaviors.The book is well written and easy to read with practical advise.

Straight forward and insightful.
I read this book to better understand my now ex-boyfriend. It helped me to not take personally his actions and gave me understanding and empathy. It will help a loved one of BPD to listen and react in ways that can help facilitate the journey to recovery. Although the book could not save our relationship, I am hopeful because he is now reading this book. The book offers steps to recovery through detailed exercises. The authors covered every area to guide the person with BPD to recovery. Awesome book!

Great Book!
As a mental health therapist who specializes in treating BPD, I use this book in my BPD Group Therapy.The women may not recognize their own behaviors in themselves, but they can see their behaviors in others.The excerises are great and when done in a group setting, they offer support and validation from other members.

Although other research or treatments are not mentioned, it is a tool that can work well for some BPD people.I have found it helpful and so have the women who have used the book.I do use DBT at times along with the book, but for the most part, the book is the foundation of the Group.

D.B., M.A., LPC, WY ... Read more

Product Description
Whether called black sheep, sociopaths, felons, con men, or misfits, some men break all the rules.They shirk everyday responsibilities, abuse drugs and alcohol, take up criminal careers, and lash out at family members.In the worst cases, they commit rape, murder, and other acts of extreme violence as though they lack a conscience.What makes these men--men we all know, whether as faces in the news or as people close to us--behave the way they do?

Bad Boys, Bad Men examines antisocial personality disorder or ASP, the mysterious mental condition that underlies this lifelong penchant for bad behavior.Psychiatrist and researcher Donald W. Black, MD, draws on case studies, scientific data, and current events to explore antisocial behavior and to chart the history, nature, and treatment of a misunderstood disorder that affects up to seven million Americans.Citing new evidence from genetics and neuroscience, Black argues that this condition is tied to biological causes and that some people are simply born bad. Bad Boys, Bad Men introduces us to people like Ernie, the quintessential juvenile delinquent who had an incestuous relationship with his mother and descended into crime and alcoholism; and John Wayne Gacy, the notorious serial killer whose lifelong pattern of misbehavior escalated to the rape and murder of more than 30 young men and boys. These compelling cases read like medical detective stories as Black tries to separate the lies these men tell from the facts of their lives.
Bad Boys, Bad Men not only describes the warning signs that predict which troubled children are more likely to become dangerous adults, but also details progress toward treatment for ASP.This volume will be an essential resource for psychiatrists, psychologists, criminologists, victims of crime, families of individuals afflicted with ASP, and anyone else interested in understanding antisocial behavior.
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Customer Reviews (14)

good book
I bought this with a few others like it because I was in need to research this disorder. I didn't read it cover to cover, but the information I pulled from it was very useful.

Stopping the abuse
A bit 'technical', this is an essential read. Knowledge is power. ANYONE who's ever been in an abusive relationship, personal, professional, platonic, NEVER has to put themself through it again when armed with the fact's. The fact's are contained in this book. Insight's, what to be aware of, answer's, there're all here. Antisocial personality disorder is EVERYWHERE, like it or not.

An intelligent, concise review of an often ignored mental illness
This is perhaps one of the best reviews I have read on any mental illness.Antisocial Personality Disorder is biologically based, but tragically often discarded as the result of poor parenting, movies, TV, video games, or a decline in social morals.It is none of these.It is a biological disorder with devasting effects on family members and far reaching costs to society.This book will take the reader on a review of what is currently known about this disorder and challange society to make a commitment to research and understand this illness.The author offers no excuses for the behavior of individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder, but points out its costs to society and the need to understand, diagnose and develop treatments for it.

APD Does not Equal Psychopathy
If you are looking for a book about psychopathy, look elsewhere.While a couple of true psychopathic types do make an appearance in Black's book, most of them are simply APD types, and the two are NOT equal.

The problems have to do with the fact that there is a mass of confusion among the professionals as to what, exactly, IS psychopathy, and how to "test" for it.The DSM-III changed the name of the disorder from psychopathy to "antisocial personality disorder, and the criteria for diagnosis consisted almost entirely of persistent violations of social norms, including lying, stealing, truancy, inconsistent work behavior and traffic arrests!The main reasons given for this shift were that it was too difficult to assess personality traits and it was much easier to measure "facts," such as recorded violations.This meant that there was a constellation of "behaviors" but no differentiation as to WHY those behaviors occurred.This meant that many individuals who behaved a certain way due to varied stresses and or nurturing failures were categorized right along with individuals who behaved the same way, but never had experienced familial or social stresses or lack of nurturing.

The result was, of course, a diagnostic category with good "reliability," but very questionable validity as to what was REALLY wrong with the individuals thus categorized.It also failed completely to categorize those psychopaths who do not ever break the law, yet cause untold damage to their families and to society.

This issue is not simply academic.The fact is, individuals who are APD due to "nurture" issues may have a better prognosis than those who are "APD" due to genetic factors.

Robert Hare developed the Psychopathy Checklist based largely upon the work of Hervey Cleckley.Black doesn't think much of Cleckley because the only patients that Black seems to have encountered are the APD type, and not the "ambulatory psychopath," or the "compensated psychopath," those who never break the law or who do so in such a way that they never get caught.Curiously, when Black quotes Cleckley, he removes the term psychopath and inserts APD.

Hare's checklist measures TWO factors: 1) affective/interpersonalitems such as egocentricity, manipulativeness, callousness, lack of remorse - the features that are CENTRAL to psychopathy; and 2) "sometimes" features of psychopathy that are also features of other disorders, including APD, such as antisocial, unstable lifestyle, social deviance.The two factors are correlated, but there are different patterns of correlation with the external variables.

Another important point is that Black relies on the MMPI, but it has been shown that a good psychopath can completely skew the results of this test.

Hare's Psychopathy Check List played a role in the field trials for revisions to the DSM-IV.These trials showed that scores on Hare's checklist are significantly correlated with APD in criminal populations, but not symmetrically.This is because most psychopaths in prisons meet the criteria for APD, but most of those with APD do NOT meet the criteria for psychopathy.

Again, APD is defined largely by antisocial behaviors and is simply not adequate to measure the core issues of psychopathy: the affective/interpersonal components.APD leaves out the trait assessments that are necessary to differentiate between psychopathic and other criminals.

These field trials didn't help the APD or psychopathy diagnostic criteria of the DSM-IV, nor did so only slightly.The term psychopathy was entirely absent from DSM-III-R and the DSM-IV text now says that "antisocial personality disorder has also been referred to as psychopathy, sociopathy, or dyssocial personality disorder."The text DOES make many references to the personality traits traditionally associated with psychopathy, however, the diagnostic criteria for APD tends to identify antisocials that are NOT psychopathic.

But Black seems to be perfectly happy with all the confusion, even adding to it himself with some considerable self-satisfaction.

Interestingly, the "showcase" case of Black's book actually contradicts everything he has asserted about APD: John Wayne Gacy.He even writes, (without getting a clue himself, it seems):

"In some ways, Gacy's story contradicts much of what we know about the natural history of ASP.... Gacy, however, demonstrates that no predictive theory is flawless when confronting a disorder as complex and mysterious as ASP.Though he grew up feeling afraid and different, John Gacy was moderately well behaved and exhibited only a few characteristics of delinquency, with no juvenile arrest record or early history of violence."

He wouldn't be so confused if he could just get straightened out in his own mind the difference between APD, Psychopathy, and other disorders that he seems to lump all together. His writing is also very bad as the other reviewer noted.

If you want to read about APD, criminal types almost exclusively, nasty, dirty, vulgar and repellant, then this is the book for you.If you want to learn about psychopaths, the real predators that live and move among us almost undetected, those that are suave, smooth, and deadly, try Martha Stout's "The Sociopath Next Door," or Cleckley's "Without Conscience," or the classic: Cleckley's "The Mask of Sanity."

Kindness to the wicked will end in cruelty to the righteous
When I was a psychiatric resident at the University of Iowa Dr Black was my residency director. Occasionally during my training someone would make an unkind remark about the muddleheadeness thought to be pervasive in mental health circles in places like Cambridge MA and other sites on the East Coast.

As an easterner myself I dismissed these remarks as bedtime stories meant to scare our residents into staying in the midwest. However after reading one reviewer of Dr Blacks book wringing his hands over Dr Black appearing exploitative and sarcastic toward aconvicted serial killer I now realize there may have beena grain of truth to what my elders were attempting to teach me.

It is clear that this book is needed more now than ever before. Our mental health system in part is suffering because evil is masquerading as disease.The result is increased stigmatization of the mentally ill and misallocation of resources. As the Jewish religious tradition teaches in Midrash Rabbah "Kindness to the wicked ends in cruelty to the righteous".

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Product Description
In 1989, Robert B. Oxnam, the successful China scholar and president of the Asia Society, faced up to what he thought was his biggest personal challenge: alcoholism. But this dependency masked a problem far more serious: Multiple Personality Disorder.At the peak of his professional career, after having led the Asia Society for nearly a decade, Oxnam was haunted by periodic blackouts and episodic rages. After his family and friends intervened, Oxnam received help from a psychiatrist, Dr. Jeffrey Smith, and entered a rehab center. It wasn+t until 1990 during a session with Dr. Smith that the first of Oxnam+s eleven alternate personalities-an angry young boy named Tommy-suddenly emerged. With Dr. Smith+s help, Oxnam began the exhausting and fascinating process of uncovering his many personalities and the childhood trauma that caused his condition. This is the powerful and moving story of one person+s struggle with this terrifying illness. The book includes an epilogue by Dr. Smith in which he describes Robert+s case, the treatment, and the nature of multiple personality disorder. Robert+s courage in facing his situation and overcoming his painful past makes for a dramatic and inspiring book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Fascinating Book
This is a fascinating book that gives readers a look Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder), just one of the various diseases of the incredibly complex human mind.The book is very helpful for those desiring more knowledge and a better understanding of this illness.

Fascinating
I purchased this book because I was interested in MPD.However, I soon realized that I had no concept of what the disorder actually was.There are literally multiple personalities living inside one human body, and I couldn't grasp that idea until I read this book.MPD may sound self-explanatory, but this book amazed me.As for the actual book, I began to lose interest about halfway through, as Oxnam started integrating his personalities into one functioning person.This was probably due to how captivating the first half was.Nevertheless, I highly recommend anyone with an interest in MPD or psychological disorders to read this book.Even if you aren't interested, you will at least develop more of an understanding of the disorder.

There are better books out there
This book is well written but long winded.There is a lot of history about the author's past that, in my opinion, could have been edited to be shorter.The portrayal of the alters was insightful and interesting; even so, I became bored half way through and quit reading.I might suggest this book as something to be skimmed but not read. I have read First Person Plural which I found much more interesting, perhaps it's because there was not so much background information and it dealt with the issue at hand; the emergence of alters and the subsequent problems.I found the writing to be more personal and therefore it kept my interest.

A big STRUGGLE to read, a BIGGER JOY once you have
I had been searching for a book that would give me some answers from someone that i could relate to. Something that wasnt just spiting out advice as if they could solve all of your problems. Oxnam's novel, although overwhelming at times because of the different points of view, is a very concrete and real account of living with, and getting help for, MPD. The prose is clear, intelligent, and profound. This book has opened many new doors for me, and its words have stayed with me long after i turned the last page. This book is a must read for both anyone that wishes to more about MPD, or has simply paused for a moment and truly thought about what it is that makes us who were are.

Eleven Alternate Worlds with a Single Past
Never before had I immersed myself in the thoughts and emotions of a D.I.D patient.While this book is considered non-fiction, there were times when I felt I was entering an imaginary world inhabited by disparaging, disparate, and capricious individuals.Nevertheless, my mind always managed to find its way back to reality when the narrator spoke of his emotions, ambitions, and disappointments.

One must understand that this book does not attempt to provide a thorough medical explanation of the causes, cures, and tribulations of D.I.D.On the contrary, the author wants to provide the reader with a glimpse of what it means to have D.I.D., as well as to how this disease can camouflage itself in the individual to the extent that neither s/he nor a mental care provider can detect its presence.

Oxnam's assimilation of the idea that he has D.I.D is a process which he shares with the reader from the time he is diagnosed until the end of the book.This form of intimacy allows the reader to empathize with Oxnam, and mesmerizes the reader to the extent that s/he is unable to put the book down.

The climax of the book, in my opinion, is the probing into Oxnam's psycho-library archives to find the cause of his disease.I cannot imagine how Oxnam reacted when learning about his past, but I was shocked, angry, pensive, sad, and at the brink of crying.By this point I had become to attached to Oxnam's past that Oxnam's life had virtually become my own.Oxnam's ability to convey ideas in such a way that reaches into the reader's subjectivity and arouses intimate emotions within him/her is, for lack of a better term, admirable.

I strongly recommend this book to anybody.This book is not targeted for a specialized audience (i.e., students, professionals, teenagers, etc.), and as such anyone can benefit from reading about Robert B. Oxnam's life.


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Product Description
Practitioners in Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) frequently find that traditional forms of support are ineffective when offered to patients with personality disorder.

This book considers the various difficulties encountered, with reference to current thinking about the origins, maintenance and treatment of personality disorder. Written by practitioners for practitioners, it provides a framework for developing effective care plans with minimal use of technical terms and jargon. Rather than promote an approach based on a single theoretical model, consideration is given to ways in which different approaches can be effectively combined within a multi-disciplinary team. The book is divided into two sections. The first outlines recent government initiatives relating to personality disorder and introduces key theories underlying psychological and biological treatments. The second focuses specifically on the role of the CMHT in relation to patients with these difficulties, including:

• the assessment of personality functioning
• developing coherent plans for treatment and support
• optimising the therapeutic relationship
• managing self-harming behaviour
• particular challenges faced by CMHTs, and how to overcome them
• the views of service users
• involving family, friends and carers.

Personality Disorder and Community Mental Health Teams deals with the reality of services today. It is essential reading for all mental health practitioners in CMHTs working with people with personality disorder. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Good reference
I ordered this book after having been in an abusive relationship with an eye toward understanding the person I had been dealing with.After receiving it, it does seem more that it is not as geared toward the "lay person" as it could be.I think it would be a good reference for psychologists or psychiatrists dealing with this type of personality, but found it a bit technical for my taste.

Informative, but may be too technical for some readers.
This text goes into greater depth and covers issues more technically than does the similar volume, titled "The Batterer: A Psychological Profile", by the same author. The content of "The Abusive Personality" is much the same, but "The Batterer" is written for non-professionals. If one is a mental-health, social-work, or other type of professional, or if one enjoys studying materials aimed at such, this is a very informative read. The general reader, though, would probably gain more from reading "The Batterer".

Great book, especially if you are going through a custody evaluation.
This book is great for an upper-level research, not an easy-reader if you haven't completed quite a bit of research on the subject.But...if you read this book, it has so much information in it that will spare you time reading other books on what the mind-set is behind the abuse, cycle of abuse, learning of the abuse.This book has many of the questions used in custody evaluation by custody evaluators.Professions could benefit from the vast amount of information and years of research provided by Mr. Dutton. ... Read more