This volume focuses on the concepts of stress and hope, their psychological and physical outcomes. Past research has focused primarily or exclusively on either stress or hope and its effect on health. This work discusses them side by side and highlights their interrelations. Various theoretical approaches dealing with stress and hope are discussed, and a review of the most recent empirical data is presented. Also included are reports on individuals and groups that have been exposed to various stressful situations, such as racial prejudice, life threatening illness, or imprisonment. The...

How does a doctor or therapist bridge the gap between particulars and generalizations regarding patients and various phenomena or diseases? The authors of this volume illustrate the multiple ways practitioners in the fields of clinical psychology and medicine address the tension between the universal nature of scientific knowledge and its particular applications. They discuss the fact that some decisions, if made erroneously, have impacts that cannot be reversed. An error in the realms of medicine, ecology, peace, and war brings with it psychological strategies that differ from those a...

This volume brings to life the nature of resilience and adaptation to change by describing turning points, or critical experiences, in the lives of people with disabilities. People with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or attention deficit disorder are interviewed. They describe events and experiences that changed their lives and pinpoint which factors helped or hindered their adaptation. Interweaving these compelling stories with popular thought and research evidence, the authors show how understanding the resilience of people with disabilities may help all readers create meaning in life and...

It doesn't make sense to treat Dan's bleeding ulcer, without attention to the depression that spurs him to drink alcohol excessively, which contributes to ulcer development. Nor is it prudent to ignore Nancy's anxiety that prevents her following through on chemotherapy for breast cancer. The connections are obvious, yet today connecting treatments for mind and body is a rare occurrence. Mental health and substance-abuse disorder assessments and interventions are separated by the payment mechanics of health plans, which encourage independent delivery of services. Dr. Kathol, a veteran...

With case examples and step-by-step frameworks for intervention, the authors illustrate the challenges and solutions in establishing an effective ward-based psychotherapy service for renal dialysis and transplant patients. They describe clinical patterns of presentation and how psychotherapeutic intervention was refined over time in a clinically meaningful and evidence-based manner. Each chapter is focused on specific emotional disorders among renal patients.

The authors introduce the concept of loss of an imagined past' (aspirations and ambitions) never realized, or compromised, as a...