The Emotional Life Interview

The purpose of this book is to introduce mental health professionals to the Emotional Life Interview that offers therapy to those with mental health problems in a more effective and time-sensitive process. It meets today's pressures to provide essential care at less cost. The Emotional Life Interview (ELI) involves asking each client seven questions about five negative feelings and emotions (fear, anger, shame, guilt, and sadness) and six questions about two positive feelings and...
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The purpose of this book is to introduce mental health professionals to the Emotional Life Interview that offers therapy to those with mental health problems in a more effective and time-sensitive process. It meets today's pressures to provide essential care at less cost. The Emotional Life Interview (ELI) involves asking each client seven questions about five negative feelings and emotions (fear, anger, shame, guilt, and sadness) and six questions about two positive feelings and emotions (pride and happiness). The process takes the practitioner into the emotional life of a client as no other procedure does. Major sections of the book discuss feelings, emotions, and psychotherapy; meaning, arousal, and the construction of emotions; and the use of the ELI in psychosocial treatment. In addition, nine complete chapters are devoted to case histories which illustrate how important feelings, emotions, and relationships are in mental health problems. These case study interviews become conversations in which the clients reveal the character of their consciousness with respect to their emotional lives. The ELI questions presented in the case studies require clients to represent their thoughts and actions in words and to tell their emotional life stories in a manner that is itself therapeutic. The life stories show in bold relief where changes are needed. The Emotional Life Interview provides a framework for emotional life education. The interview puts diagnosis and psychotherapy on the same continuum and makes therapy and emotional life education a viable healthcare option. The book represents a valuable new tool for all clinical and counseling psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatrists, and primary care providers. It will also serve as a resource in the helping professions, welfare work, and human services.