Therapy with Tough Clients: Exploring the Use of Indirect and Unconscious Techniques

Gafner does a good job of introducing the reader to Ericksonian approaches, particularly the creative use of stories. I was disappointed, however, with his lack of concrete Ericksonian approaches to PTSD, my main interest (or at least new approaches to PTSD that may have gone undefined in the literature). Anyone with basic experience treating PTSD will be familiar with Gafner's dissertation on PTSD. Also, a bit too much space devoted to reminiscing about cases that seem to bear no clear relationship to the book’s thesis or that would be advantageous to the experienced psychologist looking for an edge with "Tough Clients".

Useful book with some good scripts to use for tough clients who have some difficult conditions. It's very American, and he's worked with a lot of vets (not people who are doctors to animals, but ex soldiers) with this in mind his experiences with the health service are considerably different to the UK model.