Overcoming Functional Neurological Symptoms: A Five Areas Approach

by Christopher Williams, Alan Carson, Sharon Smith, Michael Sharpe, Jonathan Cavanagh

Overview

Overcoming Functional Neurological Symptoms uses the proven and trusted five areas model of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to help people experiencing a range of medically unexplained symptoms, including chronic headaches, fatigue, dizziness, loss of sensation, weakness and numbness.

Easy to use and practical, this CBT workbook:

• Presents the insights of award-winning authors who are experts in the field
• Contains therapeutic advice proven to work through years of research and practice
• Ensures patients success through specific plans leading to positive results
• Provides advice for friends and family of patients

This book is designed for CBT practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and healthcare workers to share with their patients.

A linked and completely free online support course is located at www.livinglifetothefull.com with additional resources at www.fiveareas.com

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781444138344
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/26/2011
Series:	Overcoming , #5
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	624,308
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Dr Chris Williams MBChB BSc MMedSc MD FRCPsych BABCP Accredited CBT practitioner Professor of Psychosocial Psychiatry and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Academic Unit of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Catriona Kent, Nurse Consultant, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, UK
Dr Sharon Smith, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
Dr Alan Carson, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
Professor Michael Sharpe, Psychological Medicine Research, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh
Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
Dr Jonathan Cavanagh, Academic Unit of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow UK

Table of Contents

Understanding how people respond to symptoms: Introduction. Understanding how people respond to symptom. Your brain and body, and how these link to symptoms. Making changes: Five Areas Approach to improving things. Behaviors. Noticing and changing unhelpful thinking. Practical toolboxes: Overcoming reduced activity and avoidance. Practical problem solving. How to become more assertive. Healthy living. Illness, symptoms, and other people.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Christopher J Graver, PhD, ABPP-CN(Madigan Healthcare System)
Description: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) share a common presentation and clinical history that is often functional or psychological in nature. However, even knowing the functional roots, treatment can be a significant challenge. This book provides a CBT-related approach to treatment for patients with these challenging symptoms and syndromes.
Purpose: This is designed as a workbook on functional neurological symptoms for both clinicians and patients.
Audience: It is intended for any clinical practitioner working with patients who have somatoform or conversion disorders. Psychologists are a prime target, but other professionals will find it equally enlightening when stumped with traditional medical interventions. The authors have ample qualifications for a book on this topic.
Features: This book is very patient centered, and it is encouraging without judging or blaming. It thankfully taps into the digital age with purportedly high quality PDF materials available for clinicians to print for their clients and a couple of websites that provide free access to similar materials, as well as forums for discussion. The book begins with a simple introduction to functional symptoms and then proceeds to walk the patient through the process of self-assessment. The primary approach is the Five Areas Approach, which is described in detail in the book. For those familiar with CBT principles, this will be a comfortable way of working with patients. Goal setting completes the first section of the book, which is referred to as Workbook 1. Workbook 2 focuses on the mind-body link, how diagnoses are made in functional conditions, and normalizing bodily sensations or symptoms. Workbook 3 covers the Five Areas Approach and starts to provide a way to make changes, including some exercises and experiments. It also provides a list of helpful and unhelpful behaviors. Workbooks 4 and 5 continue the practical treatment approach. Workbook 4 is focused on behaviors, while Workbook 5 addresses cognitive distortions as they relate to symptoms. Throughout there are opportunities for exercises and self reflection. The final section of the book is a series of toolboxes targeted at various areas that can be especially challenging, including overcoming avoidance and reduced activity, problem solving, and assertiveness.
Assessment: This is a very helpful and practical book for overcoming functional illness. The CBT foundation is well supported and will be familiar to clinicians in helping their patients. As a self-help guide, the writing is simple, clear, and encouraging, so that patients can easily follow along without becoming discouraged or confused. The step-by-step instructions and practical toolboxes make this a highly valuable guide for therapy.

Doody's Review Service

"This is a very helpful and practical book for overcoming functional illness. The CBT foundation is well supported and will be familiar to clinicians in helping their patients. As a self-help guide, the writing is simple, clear, and encouraging, so that patients can easily follow along without becoming discouraged or confused. The step-by-step instructions and practical toolboxes make this a highly valuable guide for therapy." — Doody's

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Christopher J. Graver, PhD, ABPP-CN(Madigan Healthcare System)
Description: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) share a common presentation and clinical history that is often functional or psychological in nature. However, even knowing the functional roots, treatment can be a significant challenge. This book provides a CBT-related approach to treatment for patients with these challenging symptoms and syndromes.
Purpose: This is designed as a workbook on functional neurological symptoms for both clinicians and patients.
Audience: It is intended for any clinical practitioner working with patients who have somatoform or conversion disorders. Psychologists are a prime target, but other professionals will find it equally enlightening when stumped with traditional medical interventions. The authors have ample qualifications for a book on this topic.
Features: This book is very patient centered, and it is encouraging without judging or blaming. It thankfully taps into the digital age with purportedly high quality PDF materials available for clinicians to print for their clients and a couple of websites that provide free access to similar materials, as well as forums for discussion. The book begins with a simple introduction to functional symptoms and then proceeds to walk the patient through the process of self-assessment. The primary approach is the Five Areas Approach, which is described in detail in the book. For those familiar with CBT principles, this will be a comfortable way of working with patients. Goal setting completes the first section of the book, which is referred to as Workbook 1. Workbook 2 focuses on the mind-body link, how diagnoses are made in functional conditions, and normalizing bodily sensations or symptoms. Workbook 3 covers the Five Areas Approach and starts to provide a way to make changes, including some exercises and experiments. It also provides a list of helpful and unhelpful behaviors. Workbooks 4 and 5 continue the practical treatment approach. Workbook 4 is focused on behaviors, while Workbook 5 addresses cognitive distortions as they relate to symptoms. Throughout there are opportunities for exercises and self reflection. The final section of the book is a series of toolboxes targeted at various areas that can be especially challenging, including overcoming avoidance and reduced activity, problem solving, and assertiveness.
Assessment: This is a very helpful and practical book for overcoming functional illness. The CBT foundation is well supported and will be familiar to clinicians in helping their patients. As a self-help guide, the writing is simple, clear, and encouraging, so that patients can easily follow along without becoming discouraged or confused. The step-by-step instructions and practical toolboxes make this a highly valuable guide for therapy.