Working With Brain Injury ― A Primer for Psychologists Working in Under-resourced Settings

This book provides a hands-on resource for the development of essential skills and competencies in clinical neuropsychology. On a very practical level it addresses a question frequently asked by students, trainees, interns, and newly qualified psychologists: what do I need to know in order to perform the everyday tasks involved in clinical neuropsychology? The authors distil, from a vast knowledge base, the practical skills and knowledge needed to lay the foundations for working with brain-injured patients, especially within the developed and developing world where time and resources are limited.

The book is divided into three main sections: Basic Foundations, Clinical Practice, and Professional Issues. Together these sections cover 18 fundamental topics, each representing a key part of the life of a practitioner. Each chapter contains practical tips, points for reflective practice, and suggested further reading, with a particular emphasis on issues pertaining to working in under-resourced clinical environments. The book draws upon landmark academic papers and textbooks, and also the authors’ experiences of working in state hospitals in both South Africa and the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

Working with Brain Injury will be essential reading for clinical psychology trainees and their supervisors, for newly qualified psychologists in clinical settings, and for students and practitioners in other clinical professions seeking an introduction to clinical neuropsychology.

Rudi Coetzer is a Consultant Neuropsychologist and Head of Service with the North Wales Brain Injury Service, National Health Service (NHS) Wales, United Kingdom.

Ross Balchin is a Neuropsychologist and Postdoctoral Fellow in Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.