In today's rapidly changing health care environment, more is being asked of therapists than ever before. Mental health practitioners were once able to learn one particular approach, work only with “appropriate” clients who actively sought therapy, and treat them for however long it seemed necessary. Managed care has changed all that. Professionals must be: ready to use a variety of approaches; skilled in brief therapy techniques; prepared to deal with a range of clients representing different classes and ethnicities; and flexible enough to adapt to each particular case, including those involving violence, abuse, and court-ordered clients. What is required is a consistent ideology to frame the variety of ways of doing therapy and an ability to draw what is best from each approach. Bringing the seasoned professional up to date with the tools needed to thrive in the field today and providing students with a solid grounding in actual practice, this book explores new ways to think about therapy and creatively apply them in practice. Topics covered include:

• Essential elements of effective therapy
• Dealing with a broad range of clients
• Making the most out of a training program
• Adapting clinical approaches to specific situations
• The merits and disadvantages of live supervision
• How to recognize and build upon a therapist's unique skills
• Selecting a supervisor for training

Written in clear, concise language and enlivened by Haley's trademark wit, chapters are filled with case examples and verbatim transcripts of therapy interviews that bring the issues to life.