Counselling and Management Skills
In Clinical Practice
- CD-Rom

GAVIN ANDREWS M.D. and CAROLINE HUNT Ph.D.

World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in Mental Health and Substance Abuse; and School of Psychiatry, University of NSW, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia 2010.

This interactive compact disc should enable clinicians to learn or refresh their knowledge of five basic clinical skills - interview skills, patient education, prescribing, structured problem solving and hyperventilation control.

In the first case, Jill's acute stress-related depression is relieved by medication and resolved by structured problem solving. Managed differently she could continue to regard herself as weak and unable to cope.

In the second case, Bob has avoided treatment for his severe depression for some years, but the doctor teaches him about the seriousness of his illness, about the need for medication and the value of psychological techniques. Managed differently he could well suicide.

In the third demonstration case, Sophie's panic attacks would progress to disabling agoraphobia if the doctor had not educated her about the flight or fight response and the nature of panic, and how she could control her hyperventilation and thereby moderate the severity of her panic attacks.

The fourth case is more complex. Susan is often emotionally distressed, jumps to conclusions, and always imagines the worst. The psychologically aware doctor uses techniques of hyperventilation control and problem solving to deal with the current crisis. Managed differently she could continue to focus on her somatic symptoms as a defense against dealing with her problem with her daughter.

The interviews presume that the doctor knows each patient and thus has background knowledge. The demonstration cases are designed for teaching, and while the clinical material is correct, each interview is simplified to allow the relevant teaching material to be emphasized.

Edited by Gavin Andrews MD, UNSW, 2007
©2007, CRUfAD