[Bill3]

I have an opportunity to recommend a book about psychology or psychotherapy or psychiatry to a rising junior in high school. I am looking for something that gives a flavor for one or more of these fields without being too demanding or technical. The student is bright but not particularly well-motivated. She has expressed a particular interest in these fields.

I've looked at Irvin Yalom's books about his cases, as well as books about great experiments in psychology. Both ideas seem suitable but the particular books that I looked at seemed a little demanding for this purpose. Also, I need to avoid anything that includes sexually oriented material or cases.

Can you suggest anything for me to consider?

Thank you very much!

[deliquesce]

there is a thread in the psychotherapy forums going on right now about books about therapists/therapy. you might find some useful suggestions there?

apart from that however, i remember i mainly read fiction through high school, so read a lot of books along the lines of "girl, interrupted", "the virgin suicides", "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" etc. not that "educational", per se, but great for developing awareness and empathy. i am sure we had to study one for high school english, also.

i also read the DSM-III from cover to cover, but i was a bit weird like that.

the other thing if she is interested is maybe getting work experience in a clinic somewhere? i was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to spend a week's work experience in a inpatient house for severely distressed children & adolescents, and it was a turning point in me actually commiting to study psychology further.

[GrayNess]

I can give you the book I used in 1st-year university. It covers pretty much all branches of psychology, abnormal, health, etc... . It doesn't cover forensic though but it does cover some bits on psychotherapy. It also has a chapter or two on some neuroanatomy and neurophysiology but I have to say, they are incredibly basic. It has a nice layout at the beginning with some story that flows into the chapter (about 1-2 pages of the story), questions at the end of each chapter, etc... . I have the 1st edition (Canadian one) and it has a decent introduction to the biological aspects. They're not too bad but it's not something I'd recommend if the student wanted more neuroscience.

Here is an ebay link: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

There are different editions but for most of these types of books, the editions don't have too many differences. I bought mine from the university bookstore so I do warn you about the issues with buying online. It's not a book that you'll learn from right away, you'll need to devote some time to it and understand the concepts, especially when it goes to some of the developmental theories. The book isn't too long though.

You can also see if you can look through the DSM-IV(-TR) or ICD-10 as they are the diagnostic books, although for a high-schooler, they may be too much.

The one issue I will warn you about as you mentioned it and you will find this in so many psych. books, there are a few cases studies mentioned in the book and they are mentioned for good reason, they helped revolutionize the area. However, the full names are not given, it's only initals, such as M.T. and not a whole lot of background info. I don't think many psych. books will exclude those things.

You'll also hit in the book some stuff about Freud... and there are the sex issues. Once again, most books will mention that as it's some of the basics.

I don't think there are many books you'll find that are good, don't mention Freud and don't show any case studies.

But the book I mentioned doesn't have too much about sex nor too much detail about the case studies so if you really want, if you're teaching the student, you can skip parts of it.

[Christina86]

I found all of these books via the Chapters website.

• Schaum's Outline of Introduction to Psychology Author: Arno F. Wittig

• Seven Pioneers of Psychology: Behaviour and Mind Author: R. Fuller

• Research Methods In Psychology For High School Students Author: Jennie Brooks Jamison

• Psychology and You, Student Edition Author: McGraw-Hill (Anything by McGraw-Hill is a good book. They don't publish crappy material)

• Understanding Psychology, Student Edition Author: McGraw-Hill

• Images of Society: Intro to Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology Author: Charles Hawkes
  

• Understanding Psychology, Interactive Student Edition Author: McGraw-Hill

• The Complete Idiot's Guide To Psychology; Author: Psy Johnston (Christina's personal note: I actually own this book, and I LOVE it. I recommend everyone own it if they're a psychology student or interested. It's an easy read)

• Discovering Psychology 2e High School Edition & Study Guide Author: Don Hockenbury

• Psychiatry for Beginners Illustrator: Bernard Canavan

• The Origin And Development Of Psychoanalysis Author: Sigmund Freud (Everyone should read some Freud, even to gain a healthy dislike for his theories)
  

• Clinical Psychiatry Essentials Author: Thomas W Roberts
  

• Kaplan and Sadock's Concise Textbook of Clinical Psychiatry Author: Benjamin J Sadock, Virginia A Sadock
  

• Introductory Textbook of Psychiatry Author: Dr. Nancy C. Andreasen, Dr. Donald W. Black

• Philosophy, Psychology And Psychiatry Author: A. Phillips Griffiths
  

• Crash Course (US): Psychiatry: With STUDENT CONSULT Online Access Author: Jonathan Birnkrant, Andrea Carlsen
  

• Mending Minds: A Guide to the New Psychiatry of Depression, Anxiety, and Other Serious Mental Disorders Author: Leonard L. Heston

• Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry Is Medicating A Nation Author: Charles Barber
  

• The Perspectives of Psychiatry Author: Paul R. Mchugh, Phillip R. Slavney

All of the following books are actual textbooks/material for university level classes, but introductory books so they're a fairly easy read.

- Psychology: Themes etc. Author: Weiten
- Fundamentals of Social Psychology Author: Aronson
- Personality Psychology Author: Larsen
- Abnormal Psychology Nolen-Hoeksem

[Bill3]

Thank you very much!

What is the "Chapters" website? (I'm new here.)

Thanks again!

[GrayNess]

Originally Posted by Bill3

Thank you very much!

What is the "Chapters" website? (I'm new here.)

Thanks again!

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca

If you're outside Canada, then Chapters may be able to ship to you but if not then I'm sure that there is some American version that would easily carry the mentioned books. That, or things like eBay, Amazon, etc... . You may also try to check out some of the publisher's websites, such as McGraw-Hill.

[sunflower55]

Sybil,
All About Eve
One Flew Over the CooCoo's Nest
The Bell Jar
(Those are all novels which will give good understanding of the field and develop empathy.)
The Idiots Guide To Psychology

I would suggest a Social Psychology text, if you choose a text book, too. It's far more interesting and you can do some cool experiments with the student. An introduction to psychology is usually a bit dry, and will probably turn her off.
Just my opinion, of course.

Peace!

Excellent choices, sunflower!

I was just going to suggest the Bell Jar or anything by Torey Hayden if they might be interested in working with troubled kids someday. And of course I agree with you on Sybil, but more for the dynamics between the psychiatrist and Sybil than on the "truth" of her story. It is a great debate in the world of Dissociative Disorders. Kind of like the controversy over Frey's A Million Little Pieces.

[sunrise]

She might find this one interesting. I posted about it in the Psychotherapy forum just recently:

Their Finest Hour: Master Therapists Share their Greatest Success Stories
by J. Kottler and J. Carlson
This has about 30 chapters with a different therapist telling about his finest hour of therapy. The therapists are from all different theoretical approaches and inclinations. I loved some of them and hated others! If you are thinking of finding a therapist, and not sure what therapy approach you favor, read this book to become acquainted with the many varieties of psychotherapy.