Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists, 8th Edition

by John D. Preston PsyD ABPP (Author), John H. O'Neal MD (Author), Mary C. Talaga RPh PhD (Author)

The Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists is the go-to resource for mental health clinicians looking for clear, reliable information about the treatment of mental health issues. Organized by disorder and, within each disorder, by medication, this book is designed to familiarize clinicians and students with the basic terminology and models of pharmacokinetics.

This fully revised and updated eighth edition provides essential information on new medications and treatment options and includes the latest research on side effects, contraindications, and efficacy of all major medications prescribed for mental health disorders. The book also features an important new chapter on the effects of withdrawing from psychopharmacological medications.

This handbook makes it simple to: get the facts about drug interactions and side effects; find out how medications affect adults, children, and adolescents differently; learn how different cultures view medical treatment, vital information for anyone who treats clients from a variety of backgrounds; and discontinue medication safely when needed.

This essential guide to psychopharmacology has been adopted as a textbook at universities nationwide and is an important resource for every therapist’s library.

Review
“Therapists will find this wonderful book helpful in two ways—as both a textbook and a reference book. Read as a textbook, they will learn essentially all they need to know about why patients are taking the meds they are taking, and what the likely next steps in treatment will be. As a reference book, therapists can look up a patient’s medication or diagnosis and quickly review dosing, side effects, and rationale for use. As a seasoned psychopharmacologist, I found the information accurate, useful, and presented with a refreshing clarity. It’s rare to find a book with so much information that is also a pleasure to read. I recommend it highly to any mental clinician, whether they are a therapist, a prescriber, or both.”
—Daniel Carlat, MD, editor-in-chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report


“I’m a psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist with no medical training, and I found Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists to be a compelling and stimulating read, as well as a welcome addition to my reference shelf. This text is coherent and user-friendly, and reading it is a surprisingly pleasurable way to expand your knowledge in an area of clinical treatment usually not made this accessible to nonmedical professionals.”
—Susan Flynn, PhD


“I recommend Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists to psychotherapists from various clinical trainings and diverse clinical orientations, as well as to nonpsychiatric physicians and their prescribing assistants. One of the most valuable elements of this text is the authors’ reminder to consider when and how medication can be appropriate to treatment, and how the clinician is an essential part of the psycho-medical treatment team.

“If you have only one reference book on your shelf addressing the interface between clinical treatment and psychopharmacology, this should be it.”
—Marvin B. Berman, PhD

About the Author
John D. Preston, PsyD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist and author or coauthor of twenty books. He is professor emeritus of psychology at Alliant International University, and has also served on the faculty of the UC Davis School of Medicine. He has lectured widely in the United States and abroad. He is the recipient of the Mental Health Association’s President’s Award for contributions to the mental health professions, and is a fellow of the American Psychological Association.

John H. O’Neal, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist who has been in private practice since 1977. He is past chief of the department of psychiatry at Sutter Community Hospital in Sacramento, CA. He is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the UC Davis School of Medicine, and a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He lectures on depression and psychopharmacology to mental health professionals, employee assistance programs, and the public. O’Neal received his Masters in clinical psychology from Harvard University, and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Washington.

Mary C. Talaga, RPh, PhD, has been a pharmacist for thirty-nine years, with specialization in psychiatric pharmacy and pharmacy administration. She has extensive experience in health care, and has practiced in a variety of clinical settings. Over her career, she has contributed to the development of best practice guidelines, and has promoted collaborative care models. She has provided training and mentoring to health care professionals, and education to patients and consumers.