Single-Session Therapy: Distinctive Features(Psychotherapy and Counselling Distinctive Features)

Single-Session Therapy: Distinctive Features provides a general introduction to the field of Single-Session Therapy (SST). Written by eminent clinician and author Windy Dryden, this book challenges mainstream therapeutic assumptions, predicated on the certainty that clients will have more than one therapy session. This book follows the popular Distinctive Features format and is divided into two sections, describing 15 theoretical features and 15 practical techniques of SST.

Single-Session Therapy will be of interest to those across the psychotherapy and counselling professions and will provide extensive guidance for students and practitioners alike.

Preface

Acknowledgements

Part 1: Theory

2. What’s in a name
4. Misconceptions about SST
6. People have the capacity to help themselves quickly
8. SST is based on providing help at the point of need rather than help at the point of availability
10. The SST mindset
12. The importance of expectations in SST
14. SST is a fusion between what the client brings to the process and what the therapist brings to the process
16. SST challenges therapists’ cherished beliefs about therapy and change
18. What can be achieved from SST
20. The ‘client criteria’ question
22. What makes good SST therapists
24. For better or for worse: Context matters
26. The importance of the working alliance
28. From theory to practice I: Guidelines for good practice
30. From theory to practice II: What to avoid

31. Part 2: Practice

32. Overview: The process of SST
34. Making a decision about SST
36. Preparing for the session
38. Contracting
40. Getting started
42. Working with problems and goals
    
43. Creating and maintaining a session focus
45. Doing the work
47. Utilising client variables
49. Making an impact
51. Negotiating the solution
53. Practising the solution in the session
55. Bringing the session to a suitable end
57. Encouraging client reflection, digestion, action and decision
59. Following-through and following-up

References

Index

Windy Dryden is in clinical and consultative practice and is an international authority on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has worked in psychotherapy for more than 40 years and is the author of over 225 books.