Psychotherapy with Older Adults

Bob G. Knight, Ph.D., is the Merle H. Bensinger Professor of Gerontology, Psychology, and Counseling Psychology at the Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, where he also serves as Director of the Tingstad Older Adult Counseling Center and faculty director of the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center. He is currently serving the Department of Psychology as Director of Clinical Training. His research interests include caregiving, emotion and aging, and mental health policy and aging, and he has published extensively in mental health and aging, including this book, Outreach with the Elderly (NYU Press, 1989), and Older Adults in Psychotherapy: Case Histories (Sage, 1992). He is the senior editor of Mental Health Services for Older Adults: Implications for Training & Practice in Geropsychology (1995), and a co-editor of A Guide to Psychotherapy & Aging: Effective Clinical Interventions in a Life-Stage Context (1996), both published by APA Books. Dr. Knight has been active in various professional organizations relating to psychology and aging. He served as President of Section II, Division 12 (Clinical Geropsychology) of the American Psychological Association in 1997. He is currently (2002-2003) President Elect of APA Division 20 (Adult Development and Aging), and he served as chair of the APA Committee in Aging in 2001. Dr. Knight received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Indiana University, Bloomington. His professional experience in working with older adults began while working at the Urban League of Madison County (IN) where he organized and served as first president of the Madison County Council on Aging in 1973.

• 1. Gerontology for Psychotherapists: The Contextual, Cohort Based, Maturity/Specific Challenge Model2. Adaptations of Psychotherapy for Older Adults3. Building Rapport with the Older Client4. Transference & Countertransference with Older Clients5. Guidelines for Assessment in the Context of the Practice of Psychotherapy6. Griefwork with Older Adults7. Chronic Illness in Later Life8. Psychotherapy for the Person with Dementia9. Psychotherapy with Family Caregivers of Frail Older Adults10. Life Review in Psychotherapy with Older Adults11. Ethical Issues & Concluding Thoughts on Psychotherapy with Older Adults

"Bob G. Knight′s largest contribution is his excellent discussion of therapy. The book is clearly written, with a good use of summaries and case examples to clarify the major points. By linking research findings to practice experience, Knight has provided a pragmatic introduction which should be helpful to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses working with older adults."