Talking to Families about Mental Illness: What Clinicians Need to Know (Norton Professional Books)
“[E]asy to read and clearly written, full of illustrative examples of clinical situations that communicate an experienced clinician's observations developed and modified through 20 years of practice. ” (Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic)“Igor Galynker does a masterful job of imparting to his readers a wealth of clinical pearls from his 20 years of treating psychiatric patients and working with their families in a variety of settings. . . . [V]ery practical . . . . [E]xtremely valuable and informative. The book is particularly helpful for psychiatrists, primary care providers, mental health professionals and trainees. I highly recommend it to my peers, psychiatry residents and medical students.” (American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry Newsletter)“Charles Nemeroff’s topmost blurb on this book’s back cover states that this volume ‘should be required reading for all mental health professionals, especially those in training.’ Many who read this excellent offering will probably not only agree with Dr. Nemeroff but may even want to expand his recommendation of this volume to include friends and family of persons with mental illness…. [A]n excellent manual for teaching practitioners how to effectively communicate with family members about the important issues related to having a loved one with mental illness…. One particularly valuable aspect of this book is the author’s use of scores of case vignettes throughout the text…[H]e is careful to avoid psychiatric jargon, and his use of plain English is refreshing.” (Psychiatric Services)“Dr. Galynker successfully provides a very good resource inTalking to Families About Mental Illnessthat can help clinicians and families achieve their common goal of caring for the mentally ill.” (PsychCentral)“[A]n invaluable guide to understanding and responding to the concerns of the relatives of those suffering from a mental illness…. [A] comprehensive compendium…While the intended audience is the mental health professional, the text is readily accessible to any person who is interested in understanding a wide range of mental disorders…. [T]his book provides clinicians with the information to empower and educate families so that they can effectively advocate and support the patient.” (The Residents' Journal, a publication of The American Journal of Psychiatry)“Talking to Families About Mental Illnessshould be required reading for all mental health professionals, especially those in training. Indeed, it will be helpful to the most experienced clinicians as well. The case vignettes are very informative and Galynker's compassion and vast professional experience permeate the pages of this book. I recommend it highly to all of our trainees and faculty.” (Charles B. Nemeroff, MD, PhD, Leonard M. Miller Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine)“Talking to Families About Mental Illnessis a marvelous book that meets a need that has been remarkably overlooked. When a member of a family is psychiatrically ill, the burden on the family is huge—depression alone is the #1 cause of disability burden of all major medical illnesses worldwide. Authoritative 'straight talk' about these conditions has been hard to find, but that is no longer the case, thanks to this book. An essential guide for all families.” (John M. Oldham, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff The Menninger Clinic)“Igor Galynker has set down in the clearest and most intelligent fashion imaginable a detailed, compassionate guide to one of a doctor's most difficult challenges—talking about mental disorders with the families of patients. It is also, in a more general way, a marvelous embodiment of humanity and hope.” (Daniel Menaker, author A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation)“Finally, a book for practitioners that explains how to craft your message differently when working with families coping with a variety of illnesses and circumstances. Dr. Galynker encourages the clinician to listen, as well as intervene and educate, which is likely to increase the cooperativeness of families and patients.” (David J. Miklowitz, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Program, David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA)“Chock-full of insights from a seasoned clinician,Talking to Families About Mental Illnessis comprehensive but easy to read. It is a richly-detailed and important contribution, focusing on one of the most complex and crucial aspects of medical practice. It will serve as a practical guide to non-psychiatric physicians, but a much wider audience, including families themselves, will find the book a rewarding read. Direct and lively, it is peppered with short illustrative conversations, which are particularly helpful and vividly model how to answer difficult questions and explain particular symptoms.” (Susan B. Bressman, MD, Alan and Joan Mirken Chair, Department of Neurology, and Professor of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine)“Doctors and other mental health professional colleagues need to use this book as an essential reference.... Finally we have a doctor who cares enough to coach his colleagues about the range of attitudes, fears and confusions families suffer and how to establish a true therapeutic alliance.” (Judith Carrington, Founder, Mental Health Resources, Chair, Media & Advocacy Group, National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI-NYC Metro))