Natural Mental Health provides you, the seeker, with true, holistic methods of resolution to mental health issues. It will enable you to take responsibility for your own emotional healing, from a "whole person" point of view. Emotional concerns are explored from a psychological, emotional, and spiritual perspective, utilizing experiential therapeutic techniques (which, for the most part, can be used without the aid of a therapist), life style changes, nutritional education, and information on beneficial herbs. In language that is easy to understand and practical for everyday living, this guide presents a number of simple solutions to numerous, specific mental health concerns. Topics covered in this work range from depression, self-esteem, and sexuality; to addictions, anxiety states, and even divorce. With just a bit of willingness, anyone looking for concrete answers to the mental health dilemma can begin the road toward a more healthy sense of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

A self-care guide to treating mental, emotional, and neurological conditions • Explores common mental health concerns and stress-related issues—such as anxiety, depression, anger, insomnia, brain fog, and trauma—and shares remedies and practices to address and heal their root causes • Examines the influence of diet and nutrition on mental health and the benefits of specific foods, herbs, supplements, essential oils, and self-care techniques • Details holistic remedies for neurological conditions, such as ADHD, epilepsy, addiction, bipolar disorder, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and stroke Mental health and emotional well-being are just as important as physical health. And like physical health, there are many simple ways to improve and support mental wellness with the healing power of herbs and other holistic remedies and practices. In this comprehensive guide to natural methods to maintain a healthy mind, herbalist Brigitte Mars and natural health expert Chrystle Fiedler explore many common mental health concerns and stress-related issues—such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, anger, insomnia, brain fog, and trauma—and share remedies and practices to address and heal their root causes. Citing recent medical studies, they examine the influence of diet and nutrition on mental health concerns and explore the benefits of specific foods, herbs, supplements, essential oils, and self-care techniques like acupressure, massage, and color therapy. The authors also explore holistic practices and treatments for moving through grief, breaking free from addiction, working with ADHD and epilepsy, supporting chronic conditions like bipolar disorder, PTSD, and Parkinson’s disease, and recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Presenting a wealth of holistic self-care therapies for mental well-being, emotional balance, and neurological health, this guide enables each of us to heal the mind and nurture the soul, two essential keys to a happy, joyful life.

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Len Bowers offers a critique of the theories of mental illness as a social construct. He examines the rationality of these theories, what they might mean, and in which cases they are to be accepted or rejected.

Over the last two decades, spurred particularly by the decoding of the genome, neuroscience has advanced to become the primary basis of clinical psychiatry, even as environmental risk factors for mental disorders have been deemphasized. In this thoroughly revised, second edition of Nature and Nurture in Mental Disorders, the author argues that an overreliance on biology at the expense of environment has been detrimental to the field--that, in fact, the "nature versus nurture" dichotomy is unnecessary. Instead, he posits a biopsychosocial model that acknowledges the role an individual's predisposing genetic factors, interacting with environmental stressors, play in the etiology of many mental disorders. The first several chapters of the book provide an overview of the theories that affect the study of genes, the environment, and their interaction, examining what the empirical evidence has revealed about each of these issues. Subsequent chapters apply the integrated model to a variety of disorders, reviewing the evidence on how genes and environment interact to shape disorders including: - Depressive disorders- PTSD- Neurodevelopmental disorders- Eating disorders- Personality disorders By rejecting both biological and psychosocial reductionism in favor of an interactive model, Nature and Nurture in Mental Disorders offers practicing clinicians a path toward a more flexible, effective treatment model. And where controversy or debate still exist, an extensive reference list provided at the end of the book, updated for this edition to reflect the most current literature, encourages further study and exploration.

Psychiatrists assert that mental illness is a physiological brain disorder. The anti-psychiatry movement refutes this on grounds of lack of evidence claiming that mental illness is socially defined. Len Bowers offers a rational, objective and philosophical critique of the theories of mental illness as a social construct and concludes that, though sometimes misguided, they cannot be wholly rejected. This critical scrutiny of a controversial and keenly-debated issue will be of interest to psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, sociologists and professionals in paramedical disciplines.

Addressing contemporary issues faced by individuals with HIV/AIDS, AIDS and Mental Health Practice: Clinical and Policy Issues provides psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and counselors with research and case studies that offers models for effective clinical practice at this stage of the epidemic. Each chapter is written by experts in the field and demonstrates ways to provide better services to different populations, many of whom are ignored in AIDS and mental health literature. As a result, this book will provide professionals in the field and students in training with the most current practice information about mental health practice and HIV/AIDS. AIDS and Mental Health Practice will help you understand the diverse needs of people with HIV/AIDS and organize services to assist these populations. AIDS and Mental Health Practice discusses issues that affect several different groups in order to help you understand the unique situations of your clients. You will learn how to design treatments that will be most beneficial to Latinos, intravenous drug users, orphaned children, African Americans, HIV-negative gay men, HIV nonprogressors, HIV-positive transsexuals, end-stage AIDS clients, couples of mixed HIV status, and individuals suffering from HIV-associated Cognitive Motor Disorder. This book provides you with approaches that will improve services for these populations, including: talking to patients about the positive and negative aspects of taking protease inhibitors and discussing their feelings of hope, skepticism, and fear of being disappointed by the treatment preparing clients to go back to work by exploring the meaning of work and referring them to vocational services if necessary providing support groups for people living with AIDS (PLWAs), their loved ones, their families, and individuals in bereavement as a result of an AIDS-related death organizing a HIV-negative gay men’s support group that uses exercises and homework to focus on the members’ambivalent connection to the AIDS community, how they remain HIV negative, and ways to deal with separation and grief issues assessing and/or correcting underlying racism in AIDS service organizations The prevention and intervention strategies in Mental Health and AIDS Practice will help you address and treat mental health issues associated with HIV/AIDS and offer clients more effective and relevant services.

The Nature and Treatment of Mental Disorders describes the psychiatric understanding and a wide variety of treatment techniques of several mental and psychiatric problems. This text is organized into four parts encompassing 16 chapters that outline classic theories of psychopathology and to make use of these theories to delineate the nature of mental disorders. The first part deals with the psychopathologic aspects of mental disorder, including some fundamental principles of psychopathology. The second part explores the therapeutic advantages and potentials of psychological analysis, such as the free association and dream analysis, as well as the interpretation of the life history. The third part describes the so-called miscellaneous treatment options, including mental therapy by family reorganization, educational therapy, and bibliotherapy. The fourth part discusses the physiology of the emotions, with particular emphasis on the pharmacological treatment of organic emotional disorders. This book is intended primarily for psychiatrists, psychiatric clinicians, physicians, and medical students.

This handbook offers a comprehensive overview of school mental health (SMH) initiatives in rural areas in the United States. It offers clinical and administrative guidelines for innovative and effective programs addressing critical problems among rural youth and in areas where funding and resources are scarce. Chapters cover program development, implementation, sustainability, and evaluation; consider issues of community and policy support; address barriers to access and delivery; and debunk misconceptions about the region and its cultures. Chapters also discuss rural SMH applications relating to special populations, including students with autism, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, conduct disorders, and ADHD. In addition, the book examines the potential of school-based programs as a counter to the stigma and distrust of mental health services common to the region. “/div>Topics featured in the Handbook include: The value of rural SMH from an educator’s standpoint. Preventing suicide among students in rural schools. Substance abuse in rural school settings. Bullying and cyberbully among rural youth. Intergenerational patterns of mental illness in rural settings and their relevance for SMH. The importance of involving communities in culturally competent rural interventions. The Handbook of Rural School Mental Health is a must-have resource for researchers, scientist-practitioners, and graduate students in child and school psychology, educational psychology, social work/counseling, educational policymakers, pediatrics/school nursing, teaching, and teacher education.div