Psychiatry And Mental Health: A Guide For
Counsellors And Psychotherapists

Dr Rachel Freeth

An important and useful resource for training, continuing professional development and clinical practice.

Increasingly, counsellors and psychotherapists are working with people who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder and are required to understand and navigate the mental health system. Counselling training rarely covers the fields of psychiatry and mental health diagnoses in detail and there are few reliable resources on which they can draw. This comprehensive guide to psychiatry and the mental health system, written by a psychiatrist and counsellor, aims to fill that gap.

The book is intended for counsellors and psychotherapists but will be helpful to others in the mental health field. It explains the organisation and delivery of mental health services in the UK, the theories and concepts underpinning the practice of psychiatry, the medical model of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, the main forms of mental disorder, how to work therapeutically with people with a diagnosed mental disorder and how to work with risk of suicide and self-harm. The text is designed to support continuing professional development and training and includes activities, points for learning/discussion and comprehensive references.

'Rachel Freeth writes from an unusual perspective with her extensive experience in both psychiatry and person-centred counselling. This amazingly comprehensive book is designed for practitioners and underpinned by sound academic knowledge and research. It demystifies and explains the essential aspects of psychiatry and mental health. The case vignettes, learning points and practice reflections illustrate important psychiatric and mental health concepts, enabling readers to reflect on their own experience, views and perceptions. Mental health practitioners at many levels will find a wealth of experience and information here. The time and care taken in its writing shows on every page. Freeth has crafted a unique and invaluable practice resource for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, lecturers, students, trainees, and others involved in the wider mental health and caring professions.' (Dr Barbara Mitchels, Psychotherapist, professional consultant and co-author of Confidentiality and Record Keeping in Counselling and Psychotherapy).