The Flanagans, both of whom are clinical psychologists (John directs a parent education program; Rita is affiliated with the U. of Montana), provide guidance useful for counselor trainees as well as experienced therapists. They discuss the skills needed to interview clients and assess their mental health, describing positive attending behavior, the steps of the interview process, treatment planning, and strategies for interviewing special populations. The third edition adds a multicutural emphasis and material on activities such as writing intake reports, interviewing clients with chemical dependency problems and trauma victims, and evaluating suicide risk factors, as well as new case examples and an invitation to e-mail the authors with questions and comments. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

JOHN SOMMERS-FLANAGAN, PhD, and RITA SOMMERS-FLANAGAN, PhD, have worked together professionally for eighteen years. John is a clinical psychologist and Executive Director of Families First, a parent education program. Rita is a clinical psychologist and professor of counseling at the University of Montana. They are the authors of numerous professional articles, instructional chapters, and four books.

Tags: clinical interviewing