This book introduces the reader to a clear and consistent method for in-depth exploration of subjective psychopathological experiences with the aim of helping to restore the ability within psychiatry and clinical psychology to draw qualitative distinctions between mental symptoms that are only apparently similar, thereby promoting a more precise characterization of experiential phenotypes. A wide range of mental disorders are considered in the book, each portrayed by a distinguished clinician. Each chapter begins with the description of a paradigmatic case study in order to introduce the reader directly to the patient's lived world. The first-person perspective of the patient is the principal focus of attention. The essential, defining features of each psychopathological phenomenon and the meaning that the patient attaches to it are carefully analyzed in order to "make sense" of the patient's apparently nonsensical experiences. In the second part of each chapter, the case study is discussed within the context of relevant literature and a detailed picture of the state of the art concerning the psychopathological understanding of the phenomenon at issue is provided. An Experiential Approach to Psychopathology, and the method it proposes, may be considered the result of convergence of classic phenomenological psychopathological concepts and updated clinical insights into patients' lived experiences. It endorses three key principles: subjective phenomena are the quintessential feature of mental disorders; their qualitative study is mandatory; phenomenology has developed a rigorous method to grasp "what it is like" to be a person experiencing psychopathological phenomena. While the book is highly relevant for expert clinical phenomenologists, it is written in a way that will be readily understandable for trainees and young clinicians.

This key text presents an accessible and diverse exploration of spirituality in mental health practice, broadening the definition of spirituality to comprise a variety of transcendent experiences. Chapters include a brief history of the tensions of spirituality in mental health practice and consider a range of emerging topics, from spirituality among the elderly and energy work (Reiki), to spirituality in addiction recovery, incarceration, and hospice work. The book offers a close examination of the limits of the medical model of care, making a case for a more spiritually sensitive practice. Rich case examples are woven throughout, and the book is paired with podcasts that can be applied across chapters, illuminating the narrative stories and building active listening and teaching skills. Suitable for students of social work and counseling at master's level, as well as practicing clinicians, Spirituality in Mental Health Practice is an essential text for widening our understanding of how spiritual frameworks can enrich mental health practice.

The first of its kind, this edited volume provides in-depth, culturally sensitive material intended for addressing the unique concerns of Black women with eating disorders in addition to comprehensive discussions and treatment guidelines for this population. The contributing authors-all of whom are Black professionals providing direct care to Black women-offer a range of perspectives to help readers understand the whole experience of their Black female clients. This includes not only discussion of their clients' physical health but also of their emotional lives and the ways in which the stresses of racism, discrimination, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences can contribute to disordered eating. Through a wealth of diverse voices and stories, chapters boldly tackle issues such as stereotypes and acculturative stress. Clinicians of any race will gain new tools for assessing, diagnosing, and treating disordered eating in Black women and will be empowered to provide better care for their clients.

Trauma is defined as a sudden, potentially deadly experience, often leaving lasting, troubling memories. Traumatology (the study of trauma, its effects, and methods to modify effects) is exploding in terms of published works and expanding in terms of scope. Originally a narrow specialty within emergency medicine, the field now extends to trauma psychology, military psychiatry and behavioral health, post-traumatic stress and stress disorders, trauma social work, disaster mental health, and, most recently, the subfield of history and trauma, with sociohistorical examination of long-term effects and meanings of major traumas experienced by whole communities and nations, both natural (Pompeii, Hurricane Katrina) and man-made (the Holocaust, 9/11). One reason for this expansion involves important scientific breakthroughs in detecting the neurobiology of trauma that is connecting biology with human behavior, which in turn, is applicable to all fields involving human thought and response, including but not limited to psychiatry, medicine and the health sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, the humanities, and law. Researchers within these fields and more can contribute to a universal understanding of immediate and long-term consequences-both good and bad-of trauma, both for individuals and for broader communities and institutions. Trauma encyclopedias published to date all center around psychological trauma and its emotional effects on the individual as a disabling or mental disorder requiring mental health services. This element is vital and has benefited from scientific and professional breakthroughs in theory, research, and applications. Our encyclopedia certainly will cover this central element, but our expanded conceptualization will include the other disciplines and will move beyond the individual.

Assessment of mental health, religion and culture: The development and examination of psychometric measures focuses on questionnaires that are of practical value for researchers interested in examining the relationship between the constructs of mental health, religion, and culture. Three particular areas of development and evaluation are represented within this volume: firstly, the psychometric properties of recently developed new questionnaires; secondly, the psychometric properties of established questionnaires that have been translated into other languages; and thirdly, the psychometric properties of questionnaires employed in various cultural contexts and religious samples. The research in this book is authored by a wide range of international scholars working on diverse samples and in a variety of different cultures. In doing so, the book facilitates future research in the area of mental health, religion, and culture. This book was originally published as two special issues of Mental Health, Religion & Culture.

The aim of this book on psychotherapies with children and families is to present a comprehensive overview of the current array of intervention approaches in the child mental health field. There is a focus on the integration of theory, research, and practice throughout the book. The book proceeds from the more global pre sentations of basic theoretical approaches to applications of these approaches with specific problems and populations. It then presents more integrated intervention approaches and overviews of the research literature. One of the unique features of this book is its focus on future directions for each approach, both in clinical prac tice and in research. A second unique feature is its structured format across di verse approaches with a focus on empirical validation of approaches. Another innovation is the presentation of interventions that integrate major components of different theoretical approaches. Thus, the book reflects the current trends in the field of interventions with specific problems and populations, empirical valida tion of the approach, and the integration of treatment approaches. There are five major sections in this book. Part I consists of four chapters that address a variety of issues related to child psychotherapy. Chapter 1 by the editors examines the historical roots of child psychotherapy and explores current trends in the treatment of diverse child disorders. It emphasizes the movement to "treat ments that work" and sets the stage for the chapters that follow."

In recent years, research on Alzheimer's disease has become one of the most intensely pursued areas in the field of neuroscience. Despite the wealth of information gathered, however, relatively little of what has been learned has resulted in the development of effective treatments.
Pharmacological Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Molecular and Neurobiological Foundations gathers the top investigators in the area of Alzheimer's research and presents their pioneering work on potential treatments for this devastating disease. Combining current knowledge of the neurobiology of memory with molecular studies related to disease etiology, this book provides a comprehensive review of the latest research on Alzheimer's as well as a thorough examination of current experiments with drugs that could correct the biochemical defects that cause Alzheimer's or ameliorate the associated cognitive deficits. Each of the book's three sections, "Neurobiology of Cognition," "Molecular Aspects of Alzheimer's Disease," and "Alzheimer's Drug Discovery and Development," is a collection of the most recent studies by prominent specialists in their respective fields.
Among the numerous topics covered:
* Structure and dynamics of multiple memory systems in Alzheimer's disease
* Interaction of neuromodulatory systems regulating memory storage
* Neuropsychological features of Alzheimer's disease
* Normal brain aging and Alzheimer's disease pathology
* Recent developments in the genetics of Alzheimer's disease
* Animal models relevant to Alzheimer's disease
* Considerations for clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease
* A fundamental role for estrogens in cognition andneuroprotection
* Alzheimer's disease: prospects for treatment in the next decade.
A comprehensive and balanced overview of the most critically important information available, Pharmacological Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Molecular and Neurobiological Foundations heralds a new phase in the process of studying this uniquely human disease: the search for treatments. It is must reading for neuroscientists, pharmacologists, medicinal chemists, and academic physicians involved in basic research and clinical trials, as well as for clinicians who treat Alzheimer's patients.

This handbook celebrates the abundantly productive interaction of neuropsychology and medicine. This interaction can be found in both clinical settings and research l- oratories, often between research teams and clinical practitioners. It accounts for the rapidity with which awareness and understanding of the neuropsychological com- nents of many common medical disorders have recently advanced. The introduction of neuropsychology into practice and research involving conditions without obvious neurological components follows older and eminently successful models of integrated care and treatment of the classical brain disorders. In the last 50 years, with the growing understanding of neurological disorders, neuropsychologists and medical specialists in clinics, at bedside, and in laboratories together have contributed to important clinical and scienti c advances in the und- standing of the common pathological conditions of the brain: stroke, trauma, epilepsy, certain movement disorders, tumor, toxic conditions (mostly alcohol-related), and degenerative brain diseases. It is not surprising that these seven pathological con- tions were the rst to receive attention from neuropsychologists as their behavioral symptoms can be both prominent and debilitating, often with serious social and economic consequences.

"Rik Cheston is one of the pioneers of psychotherapy in dementia. This book integrates his clinical expertise and research, and is brought vividly to life by Rik's personal reflections and case examples drawn from his vast experience [...] this book will be one that I keep coming back to and share." Dr Emma Wolverson, Clinical Psychologist, Senior Lecturer in Ageing and Dementia, Research Lead Dementia, UK "This is a thoughtful and, at times, provocative book, providing knowledge and insights from theoretical and practical perspectives [...] Cheston has set out to challenge you; which he does extremely well." Professor Ian Andrew James, Innovations Team, CNTW NHS Trust and honorary professor at the University of Bradford, UK "In this brilliant and timely book, Richard Cheston [...] draws upon [...] over 30 years of insightful clinical practice to discuss not only psychotherapy but a whole lot more. The book is lucidly written so can be valuable not only to specialists but to anyone whose work or personal life brings them into contact with dementia. Actually, that's most of us." Tom Dening, Professor of Dementia Research, Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Nottingham, UK "The author joins the dots between scientific understanding, clinical practice and lived experience in a consummate, compassionate way, resulting in a book that is a 'must read'. Everyone involved in delivering psychotherapeutic care to those living with dementia should have it on their shelf." Jan R Oyebode, Professor of Dementia Care, Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, University of Bradford, UK "This is a clear, accessible and beautifully written legacy of psychotherapeutic endeavour in dementia care [...] This book is a seminal text for all who are committed to continually improving their practice in person-centred dementia care." Esme Moniz-Cook Professor Emerita (Clinical Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Care), University of Hull, UK. Founder Chair, now board member INTERDEM. There is little opportunity for people living with dementia to talk about their experiences and what is happening to them. This often makes it harder for them to adjust to, and to accept, the diagnosis. Dementia and Psychotherapy Reconsidered introduces a new and distinctive way of thinking about dementia. Each of the four sections is augmented with examples from the author's 30 years of clinical and research experience and offers an accessible approach from mainstream psychotherapeutic and psychological frameworks that: * Places dementia into a psychological context of loss, threat and change * Addresses the research and clinical evidence underpinning psychotherapy; whether this is delivered to individuals, couples or groups * Sets out a model of adjustment to dementia and outlines how talking about dementia needs to be tailored to the stage of change * Explores how psychotherapy and counselling can be adapted to accommodate the client's cognitive changes and why we need to acknowledge that talking about dementia is not always possible or desirable Dementia and Psychotherapy Reconsidered is applicable not only to psychotherapists and counsellors, but to clinicians and families who are supporting people living with dementia post-diagnosis and want to find new ways of talking about their experiences. The dementia field has developed rapidly in its scope and practice over the past 10 years, the Reconsidering Dementia Series is a unique and innovative series published by Open University Press applicable to all audiences. Series Editors: Keith Oliver and Dawn Brooker. Richard Cheston worked as a Clinical Psychologist in the NHS before becoming Professor of Dementia Research at the University of the West of England,

The Oxford Handbook of Sexual and Gender Minority Mental Health provides a comprehensive and authoritative review of research on the mental health of sexual minorities-defined as those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or same-gender attracted; as well as the mental health of gender minorities-defined as individuals who do not fully identify with their sex assigned at birth, including people who are transgender or gender non-binary. The twenty-first century has seen encouraging improvements in sampling, methods, and funding opportunities for research with sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations; nevertheless, a key purpose of this Handbook is to identify lingering gaps in research in order to motivate future scientists to expand knowledge about SGM mental health. The volume begins with a historical overview, followed by sections on mental health categories/diagnoses (such as anxiety, trauma, eating disorders, and suicide) and specific sexual and gender minority populations (including examinations of diverse ethnicities and orientations/identities). The handbook concludes with chapters on stigma, the role of resilience, and future directions for research with SGM groups. The volume is aimed at researchers conducting studies on the mental health of SGM populations, clinicians and researchers interested in psychiatric disorders that affect SGM populations, clinicians using evidence-based practice in the treatment of SGM patients/clients, students in mental health programs (clinical psychology, psychiatry, clinical social work, and psychiatric nursing), and policy makers.

Understanding Domestic Violence not only highlights and reexamines the different challenges that we continue to face in effectively addressing issues of domestic violence but provides innovated approaches to interventions that are more in keeping with the complex nature of domestic violence. This book provides a comprehensive and multifaceted examination of conditions and factors involved in domestic violence, including psychological, sociocultural, sociopolitical, and socioeconomic issues. The authors look at domestic violence through the trauma lens and intersectionality to develop intervention strategies within that context. Statistics and clinical examples from the field highlight unique culturally-based issues related to domestic violence among Latino, African American, and Arab Muslim communities, issues with woman perpetrators, and violence in the LGBTQ community, to name a few. In the end, Understanding Domestic Violence offers opportunities for the reader to engage in further discussion of the poignant issues discussed in the book, with the invitation to become part of the solution.

Capturing a scientific change in thinking about personality and individual differences that has been building over the past 15 years, this volume stands at an important moment in the development of psychology as a discipline. Rather than viewing individual differences as merely the raw material upon which selection operates, the contributing authors provide theories and empirical evidence which suggest that personality and individual differences are central to evolved psychological mechanisms and behavioral functioning. The book draws theoretical inspiration from life history theory, evolutionary genetics, molecular genetics, developmental psychology, personality psychology, and evolutionary psychology, while utilizing the theories of the "best and the brightest" international scientists working on this cutting edge paradigm shift.
In the first of three sections, the authors analyze personality and the adaptive landscape; here, the authors offer a novel conceptual framework for examining "personality assessment adaptations." Because individuals in a social environment have momentous consequences for creating and solving adaptive problems, humans have evolved "difference-detecting mechanisms" designed to make crucial social decisions such as mate selection, friend selection, kin investment, coalition formation, and hierarchy negotiation. In the second section, the authors examine developmental and life-history theoretical perspectives to explore the origins and development of personality over the lifespan. The third section focuses on the relatively new field of evolutionary genetics and explores which of the major evolutionary forces--such as balancing selection, mutation, co-evolutionary arms races, and drift--are responsible for the origins of personality and individual differences. Existing as a seminal work in the newly emerging evolutionary psychology field, this book is a "must-read" for anyone invested in the development of psychology as a field.

Originally published in 1975, this volume deals with animals and human infants. The chapters reflect a mixture of issues and problems ranging from the significance of sucking responses in the newborn, the development of memory, effects of rearing conditions in monkeys, and brain damage in animals, to processes underlying abnormal development of language. While it appears the issues are diverse, there is actually a common theme. One question is posed: How and why does normal development fail to occur in some human infants? The chapters show that there are many causes of aberrations: physical or psychological trauma, disease, inheritance, and drugs. Although one may be primary, "multiple causation" would still appear to be a sound principle in developmental pathology.

Psychoeducational Assessment of Preschool Children, Fifth Edition, provides academics and school-based practitioners such as psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and social workers with an up-to-date guide to the assessment of young children. Long recognized as the standard text and reference in its field, this comprehensive, skill-building overview is organized into four sections: foundations, ecological assessment, assessment of developmental domains, and special considerations. Chapters written by recognized scholars in the field cover theory, research, and application. This thoroughly revised new edition addresses current developments in preschool assessment, new policies and legislation, and student/family population demographics.

WIth the ongoing pressures for psychologists to practice evidence-based care, and the requirement insurance carriers have both for treatment goals, measurement of outcomes, and a focus on brief therapy, functional analysis provides a framework for achieving all of the above. Having proven itself in treating behavioral problems in education, functional analysis is now being applied more broadly to behavioral and psychologial disorders.
In his 1996 book (Functional Analysis in Clinical Psychology, Wiley UK), Sturmey applied the functional behavioral approach to case formulation across a wide range of psychological disorders and behaviors. Since the publication of his book, no other volume has taken an explicit behavioral approach to case formulation. The changes that have occurred over the last 10 years in behavioral case formulation have been significant and substantial. They include (a) a large expansion of the range of problems addressed, such as ADHD, (b) a range of new verbal behavior therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapies, (c) increased area of activity in the area of autism spectrum disorders; (d) many publications in how to train professionals, staff and parents in behavioral technology, and (e) new assessment instruments and procedures.
*Makes theories of functional analysis accessible to a wide range of mental health professionals
*Reviews behavioral assessment methods and strategies for case formulation
*Offers readers a practical, organized, data-based means of understanding psychiatric conditions for intervening effectively and measuring positive change

Modern Myths and Medical Consumerism is concerned with the loss of a sense of limit in technological medicine today, and the way in which the denial of death leads to an uncontrollable, consumeristic multiplication of needs. Taking its starting point from C. G. Jung's analytical psychology, the book gives a symbolic interpretation based on archetypal, philosophical and socio-psychoanalytic ideas developed through the author's personal experience, moving from the medical to the psychoanalytical paradigm. Lanfranchi depicts ideal sources of medicine, based on archetypal material drawn from Greek myth, and discusses the progressive steps of the doctor's consciousness' evolution up to contemporary times. Critiquing current medicine and its 'modern myths', the book suggests the prevailing model of economic development is unsustainable, and provides prospects of a more contained ecological medicine and an ethical approach that will allow readers to reflect and move towards a more qualified attitude to mortality. The book meets the need to transform medicine into a critical domain of human experience, capable of providing essential services consistent with the naturalness of death and environmental sustainability. As such, it will be vital reading to academics in the fields of psychotherapy, analytical psychology, psychiatry and medicine, and those with a philosophical or sociological background.

A comprehensive guide for clinicians working with patients engaging in self-injury, this book provides information on clinical conceptualization, risk and protective factors, ways to assess for NSSI, treatment approaches and strategies, and early intervention and prevention strategies. Focusing on ethical and cultural considerations unique to schools, clinical agencies, and private-practice settings, the authors provide a practical and in-depth discussion of clinical theory. Procedures for determining risk and the potential problems with risk assessment, especially concerning suicide risk, are addressed. In addition to numerous exercises, examples, and suggestions for practical interventions, the book includes a variety of detailed worksheets and resources to expand readers' level of understanding, monitor emerging trends, and provide a context for extended training. Several case studies are discussed and analyzed in order to highlight specific aspects of clinical conceptualization and treatment strategies. Drawn from a wide range of treatment populations and issues, this book is a valuable resource for clinicians and supervisors. The authors integrate outcomes-based research strategies and evidenced-based tools to help clinicians work with clients from diverse backgrounds.

Therapy Talk aims to help those who apply 'the talking cure' become better at their jobs by enabling them to understand how their verbal responses may channel the conversation partner into a particular direction. Research into the efficacy of different types of psychotherapy has not conclusively found one modality to be significantly superior to the others. What has been found to have a significant effect on outcomes is the 'therapeutic alliance' between client and practitioner.
All who engage with the psychological health and well-being of others need to look beyond theoretical perspectives and techniques to how the therapeutic process and the conversations can be influenced via sometimes very subtle verbalizations. By adopting the uncomplicated conventions of conversation analysis to understand the conversational patterns that influence the change process, mental health specialists can reflect on how they use talk to create therapeutic relationships, and enact therapy, as part of an essential toolkit to monitor how they do their work.

This landmark text describes research-informed practices and applications of Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) across a range of care environments and clinical populations (e.g., family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, alcohol and drug treatment, community health centers, and military and veteran health systems). It is a timely release for a rapidly growing field. It includes the work of some of MedFT's most innovative leaders, who expertly: illustrate MedFT in action across primary, secondary, tertiary, and other unique health contexts describe the make-up of healthcare teams tailored to each chapter's distinct environment(s) highlight fundamental knowledge and critical skillsets across diverse healthcare contexts detail research-informed practices for MedFTs who treat patients, couples, families, and communities Clinical Methods in Medical Family Therapy is a comprehensive source for any behavioral health student, trainee, or professional looking to understand the necessary skills for MedFTs entering the healthcare workforce. It is also an essential read for trainers and instructors who are covering the fundamental MedFT knowledge and skills across diverse healthcare contexts. This text was written to be applicable for a wide variety of healthcare disciplines, including family therapy, counseling nursing, medicine, psychology and social work.

Exposure Therapy refers to any clinical intervention in which a client directly confronts a source of fear. Since high levels of anxiety can not be maintained indefinitely, repeated exposure leads to decreased anxiety. This type of treatment is effective with phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders, panic, generalized anxiety, and several other disorders. It's also been found to be effective in helping to treat substance abuse. Although exposure-based treatments have been extensively researched and reported in the literature, there is no single comprehensive treatment of exposure therapies. Writings tend to be limited to larger pieces on treating specific disorders or types of patients. A comprehensive book on the use of these treatments across patient disorders will be of great use to practitioners.
The book is divided into three sections: Foundation, Applications, and Issues. Foundation chapters considers theoretical and assessment issues. Applications chapters will discuss research literature on each disorder having been proven to be successfully treated with exposure therapy. Issue chapters will discuss liability issues, false memory syndrome, and the use of computers and virtual reality in exposure therapy.
*Covers the broad range of exposure therapies in one comprehensive source
*Provides an integrated look at exposure therapy across a variety of disorders
*Each such chapter will include a case study
*Blends literature review and practice guidelines

This book focuses on the experience of imprisonment from the perspectives of individuals with sexual convictions. It stresses the importance of a positive and rehabilitative prison climate. The volume begins with an exploration of the theoretical underpinnings of a rehabilitative prison climate and discusses some of the practical ways of creating rehabilitative cultures in prisons housing people convicted of sexual offences. Four empirical chapters focus on the experience of stigmatisation, prison officers' attitudes towards prisoners' offences, negotiating the 'sex offender' identity in prisons and the varied experience of 'being' in prisons exclusively for individuals with sexual convictions. Throughout the authors discuss the specific benefits of peer-support, such as the chance to earn self-forgiveness, construct adaptive identities and consequently move away from harmful labels. The book also spotlights a chapter on the experience of imprisonment written by a former service-user, this unique position offers an insightful account of an individual's journey through the prison system.

This book introduces a novel approach for examining language and communication in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - discourse and conversation analysis. The authors offer a set of very different perspectives on these complex issues than are typically presented in psychological and clinical work. Emerging from a range of social scientific fields, discourse and conversation analysis involve fine-grained qualitative analysis of naturally-occurring, rather than laboratory-based, interaction, enabling broad applications. Presented in two parts, this innovative volume first provides a set of pedagogical chapters to develop the reader's knowledge and skills in using these approaches, before moving to showcase the use of discursive methods through a range of original contributions from world-leading scholars, drawn from a range of disciplines including sociology, academic and clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, critical disability studies and social theory, and medicine and psychiatry.

Self-awareness - the ability to recognize one's existence - is one of the most important variables in psychology. Without self-awareness, people would be unable to self-reflect, recognize differences between the self and others, or compare themselves with internalized standards. Social, clinical, and personality psychologists have recognized the significance of self-awareness in human functioning, and have conducted much research on how it participates in everyday life and in psychological dysfunctions. Self-Awareness & Causal Attribution: A Dual-Systems Theory presents a new theory of how self-awareness affects thought, feeling, and action. Based on experimental social-psychological research, the authors describe how several interacting cognitive systems determine the links between self-awareness and organized activity. This theory addresses when people become self-focused, how people internalize and change personal standards, when people approach or avoid troubling situations, and the nature of self-evaluation. Special emphasis is given to causal attribution, the process of perceiving causality. Self-Awareness & Causal Attribution will be useful to social, clinical, and personality psychologists, as well as to anyone interested in how the self relates to motivation and emotion.

This book explores the role that religion plays in the lives of imprisoned homicide offenders. Drawing on interviews in an English prison, the author examines how they narrate their life stories and how religion intersects with other categories to rebuild their personal identities after committing a crime and being labelled as murderers or killers. This book seeks to bridge the gap between macro and micro phenomena, examining religion as both a social institution and a personal experience. It also explores the mediating role of institutions with regards to the nature and extent of their influence upon individual choices and actions, and provides insights into the nature of the therapeutic prison. It seeks to create some clarity of understanding the complex nature of religiosity, narrative, identity, desistance and rehabilitation whilst critically examining elements of social identity that may restrict or enhance this process. It provides a series of recommendations for organisations working with convicted homicide offenders/offenders and speaks to academics and practitioners in the fields of criminology, sociology, psychology and religious/theological studies.

The Aesthetics of Self-Harm presents a new approach to understanding parasuicidal behaviour, based upon an examination of online communities that promote performances of self-harm in the pursuit of an idealised beauty. The book considers how online communities provide a significant level of support for self-harmers and focuses on relevant case studies to establish a new model for the comprehension of the online supportive community. To do so, Alderton explores discussions of self-harm and disordered eating on social networks. She examines aesthetic trends that contextualise harmful behavior and help people to perform feelings of sadness and vulnerability online. Alderton argues that the traditional understanding of self-violence through medical discourse is important, but that it misses vital elements of human group activity and the motivating forces of visual imagery. Covering psychiatry and psychology, rhetoric and sociology, this book provides essential reading for psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists exploring group dynamics and ritual, and rhetoricians who are concerned with the communicative powers of images. It should also be of great interest to medical professionals dealing with self-harming patients.