The Fifteen Minute Hour: Practical Therapeutic Intervention in Primary Care

A practical, realistic ‘how to” manual for effectively incorporating psycho-behavioral interventions into the brief office visit. A contemporary classic, this text combines the best in medicine and psychology to help practitioners treat the emotional components of ordinary medical disorders. The BATHE (Background, Affect, Trouble, Handling, and Empathy) technique, a screen for treatable psychiatric conditions as well as a therapeutic modality, fits easily into a regular patient visit. Case scenarios demonstrate how to use simple questions to elicit information while empowering the patient. Subjects covered include managing stress, handling difficult patients, increasing compliance and promoting both physical and mental health. Amply referenced and evidence based, this new edition provides coverage on the use of narrative therapy, cognitive restructuring, talking with adolescents, collaborative treatment, PTSD, and managing anxiety and depression by combining therapeutic talk with psychotropic medications.