Refocused Psychotherapy as the First Line Intervention in Behavioral Health

Written by father-daughter psychologists Nick and Janet Cummings, this text provides proven patient-responsive interventions by practitioners who together have nearly a century of hands-on practice and innovation between them. Refocused Psychotherapy responds directly to the recent decline of psychosocial services and helps to put psychotherapy back as the first line intervention in mental health. The authors teach psychotherapists how to work side by side with primary care physicians to provide efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency—the standards psychotherapeutic intervention is held up to. Detailed case studies are followed up by discussions of diagnosis, personality type, homework, and therapeutic techniques that show readers how to form their own case conceptualizations. The authors also teach readers how to treat their patients individually and to diagnose effectively through their onion/garlic conceptualization. Finally, they provide lists of common abbreviations that are helpful to know when reading prescriptions, and lists of drugs, drug interactions, dosage, and side effects that expand readers’ vocabulary and allow them to be more knowledgeable as they work with primary care physicians. These innovative and revealing techniques will help readers develop the skills necessary for cost-effective therapeutic results.

Nicholas A. Cummings, PhD, ScD, is a Past President of the American Psychological Association who for the past half century has been predicting the course of psychology and forming organizations designed to meet the challenges as each occurred. He holds an extensive psychotherapy practice, is the author of 49 books and over 400 journal articles, and has had a profound effect on the course of the profession.
Janet L. Cummings, PsyD, has authored nine books with her father, Nicholas Cummings, and is currently Founder’s Professor in the Doctor of Behavioral Health Program at Arizona State University. A cutting-edge practitioner, she also finds time to serve as President of the Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings Foundation.

Introduction: How It Was: The Golden Age of Psychotherapy. A Return to Psychopathology and Pathophysiology: Validity and Effectiveness. Cause and Effect Psychotherapy: Treating More than Just Symptoms. The Biodyne Model of Refocused Psychotherapy. Psychojudo: Staying One Step Ahead of the Patient's Resistance. Incisive, Effective Intervention. Onion that is Analyzable. Garlic that is Analyzable. Schizophrenia: Onion/Non-Analyzable. Schizophrenia: Garlic/Non-Analyzable. Treating Suicidal Patients. Co-located Integrated Behavioral/Primary Care: The Hallway Handoff. Extreme Therapy. Psychopharmacology for Behavioral Care Providers. Appendix I: The Nicholas A. Cummings Doctor of Behavioral Health Program. Appendix II: The Biodyne Research Model for Determining Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Efficiency.