Springer Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy: Research, Practice, and Prevention

This handbook is the first resource for the practicing clinician to address the role of homework. It shows that patient’s homework is a core component of psychotherapy practice and it covers a range of psychotherapy approaches, illustrating each with clinical examples. Review From the reviews: "Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy presents multiple approaches to the integration of homework into therapy, including perspectives from nine theoretical orientations plus psychotherapy integration, as well as research and practical case examples. This inclusiveness is to be commended, as it lends to the overall strength and contributions of the work. … solid reference work with a broad perspective on homework that will likely become an essential component in the personal libraries of clinicians from all levels of experience as well as those of researchers." (Michele A. Schottenbauer, PsycCritiques, Vol. 52 (40), 2007) "The Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy: Research, Practice, and Prevention … provides readers with an extensive overview of how clinicians of various orientations integrate homework assignments into their clinical work with various popultions. … All chapters are well-organized, succinct, and written by experts in their respective fields. This book is geared towards clinicians working with adult populations. … This would be an excellent book for beginning clinicians or graduate students who are seeking an overview of various treatment approaches and clinical disorders." (Jeanne M. Duax, Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, Vol. 37, 2007) "The book operationally defines ‘homework’ in various kinds of therapy … . is aimed at practitioners and researchers with all ranges of experience. … Readers looking for an ‘academic’ perspective on homework, a comparison of different approaches to between-session work, and inspiration in working with different populations will find a great deal here. … It really does represent a ‘first to market’ work that will be foundational for others interested in the theory and practise of psychotherapy homework, and certainly makes a very unique contribution." (Peter Bieling, Canadian Psychology, Vol. 49 (2), 2008) From the Back Cover The process of psychotherapy is essentially a means of helping patients to help themselves. As such, psychotherapy is not limited to the relatively brief in-session consultation time with the practitioner. Rather, patients' engagement in therapeutic activities between sessions has become an important part of the therapy process. Such activities, often termed 'homework', are central to ensuring that therapeutic goals are reached. The Handbook of Homework in Psychotherapy is the first resource for the practicing clinician that addresses the role of homework across major therapeutic paradigms and complex clinical problems. It opens with a series of practice-orientated chapters on the role of homework in different psychotherapies (acceptance and commitment, client-centered, constructivist, cognitive-behavioral, experiential, family, interpersonal, psychodynamic) written by an international team of expert psychotherapy practitioner-researchers. Then, experienced practitioners present strategies, examples, and formulated assignments for use with different populations (couples, families, older adults) and complex problems (chronic depression, chronic pain, eating disorders, obsessions and compulsions, personality disorders, psychosis, sexual dysfunction, substance abuse, traumatic brain injury). The Handbook closes with three chapters by leading psychotherapy theoreticians, researchers, and practitioners that critique the available research evidence for homework, integrate the recommendations for using homework in practice, and also provide directions for homework's role in prevention. Each chapter presents: A brief overview of the approach Review of existing empirical support Recom