Springer Clinician's Guide to Severe Hoarding: A Harm Reduction Approach

The cat lady. The couple who won't let anyone in their apartment. The old man with all that junk in his yard. Their severe hoarding puts them, and often others, at risk for injury, disease, and even death. Most deny needing help, and for this reason, professionals are desperate to find more effective ways to offer and provide assistance to them.In response to this growing public health problem, Clinician's Guide to Severe Hoarding refines our understanding and presents in depth and innovative alternative to traditional interventions. Arguing that although treatment for hoarding can be effective for those who are open to help, people with severe hoarding are not. The Clinician’s Guide to Severe Hoarding describes an alternative strategy to help those who adamantly refuse help and yet face significant health and safety risks due to the hoarding problem – harm reduction. This client-centered approach takes readers through harm reduction plan development, team building, goal setting, client collaboration, and progress assessment. The Clinician’s Guide also explains that a successful harm reduction plan may encourage clients to seek further help, and offers insights into working with special populations such as people who hoard animals and children who exhibit hoarding behavior. The Clinician's Guide describes in detail a range of strategies for assisting people with severe hoarding: Strategies for engaging with clients who hoard.Guidelines for assessing harm potential.Guidelines for creating a harm reduction plan, building a harm reduction team, and conducting and evaluating home visits.Skills for client self-help: decision making, time management, and more.Guidelines for navigating the ethical and legal issues that arise in assisting people who hoard.Readings, links, and other resources.With its practical common-sense approach to a complex problem, Clinician's Guide to Severe Hoarding is a unique volume not only for mental health practitioners, but also other professionals who assist people who hoard, such as home health aides, social workers, and professional organizers. Review Reviews:"Dr. Tompkins has produced an excellent clinician guide that focuses on harm reduction treatment for serious hoarding behavior. Mental health clinicians, and many other professionals who encounter hoarding, will find this book particularly helpful in working with people who hoard, their family members, friends, and neighbors. This well-organized and user-friendly book makes it easy to understand hoarding and to respond compassionately and effectively. The focused team approach that includes the sufferer is an excellent strategy, and the troubleshooting recommendations are especially helpful. I highly recommend it!"Gail Steketee, Ph.D., Dean and Professor, Boston University School of Social Work and co-author of Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things"Michael Tompkins is one of those rare hoarding experts whose brain you wish you could somehow inhabit in order to soak up his knowledge and experience. Short of this Malkovichian fantasy, ordinary clinicians like me must rely on his written word.  Thankfully, his written word is rich with clinical anecdotes and laced with scientific knowledge. And his new book, Clinician’s Guide to Severe Hoarding: A Harm Reduction Approach, is no different. His novel harm reduction perspective is highly refreshing and intuitive, and his hoard of useful techniques will have you finally feeling armed to approach this seemingly intractable public health challenge.  Most impressive, however, is that Michael Tompkins refuses to shy away from hot button hoarding issues, like maximizing treatment leverage, addressing cleanout decisions, and navigating the legal challenges. Every clinician will find something in this book that will enhance their effectiveness with people who hoard."Gregory S. Chasson, Ph.DLicensed Psychologist; Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Tow