books
- A Primer on Mental Disorders
A Primer on Mental Disorders: A Guide for Educators, Families, and Students
Praise for the Primer
The reviews are arriving every week: A Primer on Mental Disorders is a resource readers have been waiting for! Clear, concise, and much needed, the Primer is rapidly becoming an invaluable resource. Here are just a few comments from satisfied readers:
"A Primer on Mental Disorders is outstanding, and as far as I know there is nothing else that is as clear, informative, and succinct on the market. I would love to see schools assign this as required reading for all students. It is also a fine resource for anyone. And of course, all the well chosen quotes from across the ages added a wonderful sense of style and served as a reminder of the universality of human experience, whatever the age and culture."
—Judy Jolley Mohraz, Ph.D.
CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and Former President, Goucher College. Baltimore, Maryland
"Up to now, if you were not a mental health professional, yet you wanted to learn about the full range of psychiatric disorders, there was no non-technical book that would do the job. That has changed with the publishing of the very readable Primer on Mental Disorders which, in a systematic way, provides the key facts about psychiatric disorders, such as the definition, the most common symptoms, and how common the disorder is in the community."
—Robert L. Spitzer, M.D.,
Professor of Psychiatry and Chief, Biometrics Research, Columbia University and Former Chair of the Work Group to Develop DSM-III and DSM-III-TR
"Congratulations on the publication of this book. It strikes me as a much needed and most useful kind of resource. I am delighted to have it and will share it with our Dean of Students, who oversees all student services. The book is, in fact, particularly appropriate for our students at this time, since we have been augmenting our counseling and health staff and services. Perhaps the entire student-services staff should order copies! By the way, as an English teacher, I must add that I love the head-notes from literature–Shakespeare, Eliot, Shelly, etc. What a graceful touch!"
—Evelyn A. Flory, Ph.D., Head of School, St. Paul’s School for Girls Brooklandville, Maryland
"The Primer is an interesting and easy to read book that anyone will find useful. The four practicing psychiatrists have managed to reduce the gobbledygook of mental health nomenclature (otherwise known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) to an informative digest.
"The book is better than a DSM for Dummies or a Psych Cliff Notes because it isn’t dense and doesn’t talk down to the reader. I found it fun to read. The slim 174 page paperback is neatly designed with a format that follows the DSM. Each descriptive “condition” is explained along with incidence, management options, and examples–all within a page or two.
"While the book is intended for educators, students and concerned families, every practitioner and clinic should have a cop or two close a hand. It can be used to refresh clinical knowledge and better yet to explain some of the common conditions to patients. I get to keep my copy and plan to use it!"
—John W. Buckley, M.D.,
past President, Baltimore County Medical Association, and Editor, Maryland Medicine
"Drs. Allen, Liebman, Park, and Wimmer are experienced psychiatric physicians who have written an important, informative, timely, interesting, and up-to date primer of mental disorders that should find a place within easy reach on the bookshelves of educators, families, and students. I heartily recommend this volume and look forward to the frequent use of my copy."
—Harold I. Eist, M.D., past president of the American Psychiatric Association,
medical director of Montgomery County, Maryland Child and Family Health Services
"What a delight to receive a copy of your first book in what I hope will be a series! It is clear and concise, definitely achieving your goal of making accessible the content of the DSM-IV-TR. I believe that it will serve as an excellent resource for professionals who lack content expertise in mental health."
—Ruth D. Kirsch, LCSW,
Special Education Resource Center (SERC),
Connecticut State Department of Education
"Thank you for sending your wonderful new work. What an important subject!"
—Barbara Chase, Head of School, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts
"Societal prejudices and the stigma about mental illness will only be changed when we each take the time to investigate and educate ourselves and others about normal childhood development and the misunderstandings that deprive our young citizens of appropriate medical care and societal support...This clear and important book will help every child, adolescent, and adult learn about these real and treatable illnesses. We have little time to waste. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youths between fifteen and twenty-four years of age and homicide is the second leading cause. These figures have been steadily increasing for over two decades. One has only to watch the evening news to understand that the tragedy of mental illness is going unrecognized and untreated. We must do better for the sake of our children, our families, our teachers, and our friends. We have a duty to be informed and begin the process of leading our children into the sunlight of mental illness."
—Richard K. Harding, M.D., President, American Psychiatric Association
"You and the other authors have done a great job at filling an empty niche. It is informative, easy-to-read and understand."
—Marianne Benkert, M.D.,
Staff Psychiatrist, Owen Clinic, University of California, San Diego
"The book really draws one in--especially the quotes overlaid with the basic definitions--they really set the reader up for the discussions that follow."
—Richard C. Allen
"I am currently reviewing [your book] now as I prepare for the beginning of fall semester classes and my preliminary reaction is that this is a highly user friendly book that can be used to introduce non-experienced students to the concepts of diagnoses and mental illness. It might serve as a great supplemental text in an undergraduate abnormal psychology course."
—Leonie Brooks, Assistant Professor,
Department of Psychology, Towson University, Baltimore, MD
"Congruent with its goal of educating a wide audience in mental health issues, the book provides the etymology of psychiatric terms, and it boasts a liberal use of classical quotes. Its selection is well chosen. A useful source of guidance and consultation for nonprofessionals, this is recommended for public libraries and collections serving counselors and health educators."
—Antoinette Brinkman, MLS, Library Journal, September 15, 2001
"The Primer, with its descriptions, information sources and support may, or may not help the ill, but relatives, teachers and employers stand to gain from it."
—James H. Bready
The Baltimore Sun, March 24, 2002
For further information, go to: [Primer Home | Sample Chapters]