Now Dare Everything

As the HIV epidemic continues to grow and influence the lives of countless individuals, psychotherapists and counselors must strengthen their skills for helping HIV-affected clients confront a wide range of biopsychosocial problems. Now Dare Everything, written by Steven Dansky, a psychotherapist who has been working with people living with AIDS (PLWAs) since the beginning of the epidemic, presents a full range of the biopsychosocial problems that HIV affected persons face. It also...
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As the HIV epidemic continues to grow and influence the lives of countless individuals, psychotherapists and counselors must strengthen their skills for helping HIV-affected clients confront a wide range of biopsychosocial problems. Now Dare Everything, written by Steven Dansky, a psychotherapist who has been working with people living with AIDS (PLWAs) since the beginning of the epidemic, presents a full range of the biopsychosocial problems that HIV affected persons face. It also covers the issues that counselors and therapists must address when working with PLWAs.

This insightful book covers everything from counseling techniques for individuals, couples, significant relationships, groups, and communities from the initial interview and assessment, to the development of coping skills, and the implementation of treatment strategies. Therapists will gain new perspectives on all types of psychotherapy including brief intervention, group therapy, case management, and extended psychotherapy in hospitals, home, and agency practice. Through clinical vignettes which provide a rare first hand glimpse of the client/therapists relationship, Now Dare Everything emphasizes face-to-face communication between client and therapist as the foundation of all therapy. Gripping case studies examine HIV practice from the initial crisis of HIV seropositive diagnosis through the emergence of other problems such as disclosure to family and friends, homelessness and poverty, sexual abuse, biophysical debilitation, access to treatment, and the impact of sexism, racism, and homophobia on individual functioning.

Because of its focus on practical application, Now Dare Everything is a valuable handbook for HIV-related psychotherapeutic and social work treatment with individuals and the community. Chapters examine how counselors can develop a personal style combined with therapeutic technique and how to avoid burnout. Mental health professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers will gain a better understanding of the disease process of a terminal illness, along with the special social stigmatization and human sexuality prejudices that are particular to the AIDS epidemic. General readers will find this an invaluable exploration of issues pertinent to AIDS and will find it easy and enjoyable to read due to the limited technical discussions of theoretical and research ideas.