Psychotherapy and Mental Handicap [Paperback]

The contributors discuss a range of therapeutic approaches, including group analytic therapy and transactional analysis, within this context. They also examine specific issues such as countertransference with mentally handicapped clients, understanding secondary mental handicap as a defence against trauma, group work around the stigmatized identity of being a handicapped person, reminiscence as a way of helping clients address the personal implications of moving from an institutional setting `into the community' and work with familiesThis thought-provoking book shows how psychotherapy can be an important and empowering resource for a client group that has frequently been denied such services - mentally handicapped people.

The contributors discuss a range of therapeutic approaches, including group analytic therapy and transactional analysis, within this context. They also examine specific issues such as countertransference with mentally handicapped clients, understanding secondary mental handicap as a defence against trauma, group work around the stigmatized identity of being a handicapped person, reminiscence as a way of helping clients address the personal implications of moving from an institutional setting `into the community' and work with families`Can counselling be used successfully with people whose verbal skills and understanding may be limited? This book says positively yes ! In doing so it provides rich and varied material for those who want to know more about counselling people with learning difficulties. It is distinguished by the fact that all of its sixteen contributors have hands-on experience of working in this field... there are fascinating and useful snippets' - CounslÓ}