Mental health consultation and psychology internship training.

Psychology interns trained in American Psychological Association-approved internship programs are expected to demonstrate an intermediate to advanced level of skill in mental health consultation. Where do students learn the skills to consult with colleagues, other professionals, or the public? This article describes a 1-year, 2-phase training experience in consultation at a university mental health service. The program is theory based, sequential, and builds over the course of the internship. Discussion underscores the positive impact of the training and reviews potential problems that may emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Short-term psychotherapy and graduate training in psychology.

We present the thesis that the psychology internship and the university-affiliated practicum site offer a special opportunity to train new professionals in brief psychotherapy. The reasons for this include (a) a growing client demand for time-limited treatment and hence psychology's responsibility to prepare professionals in this mode of intervention, (b) a period of residence that can be comfortably tailored to training in short-term psychotherapy, and (c) trainees who are eager to learn a pragmatic form of intervention. Training considerations are outlined and include client selection variables, therapist/trainee considerations, and supervision/teaching. Conclusions are offered and emphasize the agency's and supervisors' need to feel a commitment to train in this modality. Likewise, the program should seek trainees who are eager to learn brief psychotherapy. In order to maximize the opportunity for a successful experience, careful consideration should be given to client selection criteria. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical fitness training: Beneficial for professional psychologists?

A survey was conducted to explore the degree to which practicing psychologists are involved in exercise programs, the patterns of exercise favored, and the degree of effect attributed to exercise on various dimensions of psychotherapy practice. Survey instruments were mailed to 262 psychologists listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers; 196 (74.81%) responded. Most of the respondents (71.43%) reported engaging in regular exercise. Chi-square analyses revealed that patterns of exercise were related to demographic factors. Dimensions of psychotherapy perceived as most positively affected by exercise were the physical stamina, mood, and mental stamina of the therapist. Analyses of variance revealed that demographic and exercise pattern variables were related to perceptions of exercise effect on some of the dimensions of psychotherapy. Most respondents reported that they would recommend regular exercise both to other therapists and to patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Termination in brief psychotherapy: The case for an eclectic approach.

Outlines theoretical perspectives on the termination phase of brief psychotherapy (i.e., termination as either a minimal or central focus in brief therapy). From both case studies and empirical investigations, a flexible approach is advocated in which termination work is in keeping with the goals of treatment and the quality of the therapist–patient relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

I apologize for being late: The courteous psychotherapist.

Psychotherapists may behave discourteously toward clients, often unconsciously and without being aware of it. The effort here is to alert therapists to the simplest ingredient of the positive therapeutic relationship--behaving courteously toward our clients. A limited number of pitfalls are discussed including: tardiness, tiredness and fatigue, in-session electronic interruptions, drinking alone in the presence of the client, checking the clock, and improperly addressing clients by name. This brief list encourages therapists to be alert to these as well as other behaviors that may have the potential to be offensive. When therapist discourteous behavior has taken place, it is important for therapists to do what they can to repair the damage, especially if a rupture has ensued. It is recommended that therapists encourage clients to discuss their feelings about the offending behavior in the presence of the nondefensive therapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The interaction between brief and very brief psychotherapy: Allowing for flexible time limits on individual counseling services.

Discusses the use of very brief psychotherapy (1–5 sessions) and more extended time-limited psychotherapy of up to a semester's duration in college mental health programs. Very brief psychotherapy may help minimize the waiting list problem, while at the same time meeting clients' needs as they are presented. To be effective, however, 2 criteria must be satisfied: (1) The psychologist must believe in the value of very brief intervention and be diagnostically sophisticated enough to know when to institute it, and (2) the administration and clinical service staff must be supportive of a flexible model of time limits that allows for a range of sessions versus a specific limit of sessions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)