Healing the Distress of Psychosis
Listening with Psychotic Ears
Shannon Dunn
Reviews and Awards
"I was encouraged at how the author educates readers on how to properly engage with empathy, respect, genuine interest, and a posture of humility when meeting patients with psychotic symptoms." -- Doody's Book Reviews
"This book demonstrates in a compelling manner, through reviews of both historical and contemporary trends, that human services practitioners are best able to help clients with psychotic symptoms when they enter into their clients' subjective worlds and attend to their clients' needs to develop meaning and purpose in their lives. The author illustrates the limitations of the medical model and provides useful strategies for practitioners to connect more personally and empathically with those who experience psychosis. She also does a fine job of comprehensively reviewing effective psychological and social interventions." -Joseph Walsh, PhD, Professor, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University
"Healing the Distress of Psychosis is a book every mental health worker and administrator should read. It is full of practical guidance that emphasizes listening, patience, and hopefulness. It recognizes the role played by alcohol and street drugs in a way that most mental health books skip over. Funding, regulations, and training should be geared toward supporting the advice contained in Dr. Dunn's book rather than making it more difficult to implement." - Robert Nikkel, MSW, Founding Board Member, Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care; President of the Board, Dual Diagnosis Anonymous of Oregon
"Healing the Distress of Psychosis captures the struggle that exists between people who are living with a diagnosis and the traditional mental health system that relies heavily on psychotropic medications as the primary, and often only, treatment for psychosis. This book eloquently debunks myth after myth in a humanistic and compassionate manner. It is a must-read for everyone and will change the way professionals see their role." -Guyton Colantuono, Executive Director, Project Return Peer Support Network
"An engaging and historically thorough inquiry into the nature of psychosis, and a clarion call for dramatically changing how our mental health system responds to those experiencing it. The book's subtitle provides a brilliant and poetic summation of what Shannon Dunn is arguing for." -Robert Whitaker, Journalist and Author, Anatomy of an Epidemic; President, Mad in America Foundation