cover image Therapy Demystified: An Insider's Guide to Getting the Right Help Without Going Broke

Therapy Demystified: An Insider's Guide to Getting the Right Help Without Going Broke

Kate Scharff. Marlowe & Company, $14.95 (188pp) ISBN 978-1-56924-423-4

A myriad of questions face anyone considering psychotherapy-from knowing how to select a therapist to knowing whether your treatment is working-and Scharff answers them all in a methodical fashion. A licensed clinical social worker, she writes out of a deep knowledge of the therapeutic process, which she has practiced for 15 years, and out of a deep familiarity with what patients want and need. She takes readers step-by-step through the decision-making process-whether or not to start therapy, what kinds of therapy are available, what questions to ask during a consultation-and her tone is supportive and reassuring (e.g., ""Psychological sophistication is not a prerequisite for therapy""). Short sections are easy to absorb, and key points are boxed and highlighted. Anyone considering therapy will find sound advice here in a tone and form that will relieve them of any anxiety and confusion that they may face.