Therapeutic Communication: Developing Professional Skills - Paperback

by Herschel Knapp (Author)

The Second Edition of Herschel Knapp's Therapeutic Communication: Developing Professional Skills provides beginners and seasoned professionals with the skills to navigate the facts and feelings endemic to professional therapeutic communication. With a comprehensive perspective, Dr. Knapp clearly and effectively explains differences between casual and therapeutic relationships, focusing on key elements such as the therapeutic process, social and emotional factors, and professionalism. Organized into discrete sections to highlight individual skills, each chapter follows a unified format, encouraging readers to apply their knowledge frequently.

"Students often struggle with core concepts related to therapy. This book takes those struggles and clears up any doubts about the basics and guides them toward becoming experts in their field."

"Whether you're a therapist or a high school counselor, the skills outlined and described in [this book] are paramount to the success of any helping relationship."

"I was inspired by Dr. Knapp's ability to capture the emotions, techniques, and skills necessary to have a successful helping relationship in an easy to follow manner . . . the text takes the reader from the beginning to the end of a counseling relationship seamlessly . . . Students will find the straightforward nature of the book a staple of their professional library. This is the type of text you keep close at hand throughout your professional career."

Author Biography

Herschel Knapp, PhD, MSSW, is a mental health clinician, health science researcher, and adjunct professor in Los Angeles, California. His experience includes acute care in hospital settings (ER, ICU, CCU, oncology), as well as longer-term psychotherapy in both in- and out-patient settings with diverse client populations. He has served as a behavioral science representative, advocating for quality of care on the Patient Care Committee, the Palliative Care Committee, the Ethics Committee, and the Cancer Committee. He teaches at the university level, provides intern supervision, and presents numerous clinical trainings in hospitals and in the community. Dr. Knapp is currently involved in developing and implementing innovative telehealth systems, which utilize videoconferencing technology to facilitate optimal healthcare service delivery to remote patients and to coordinate specialty consultations among healthcare providers.