'Reflections on Community Psychiatric Nursing' comprises of a large number of articles, written throughout the 1990's and covering a diverse range of topics including sociological aspects of community psychiatric nursing, risk-assessment and risk-taking, newer treatments, and promoting positive mental health. All of these articles are preceded by 'reflections' by the author, which tie them all together and also reassess what is written in light of the current state of community psychiatric nursing and how things may have changed.

I found the articles looking at similarities between CPN's and psychiatric social workers particularly interesting. The chapter on using creativity in mental health should be of interest and very useful to anyone wishing to set up any sort of creative project themselves: It details how Tony set up a music therapy style group - "The Music Workshop Project" - from a small closed group into an international award winning project that has produced its own CD's, showing how others could set up a similar project. Also, the final chapter gives an interesting and detailed account of the use of 'family interventions' in helping people with schizophrenia.

Throughout the whole book runs a strong philosophy of basing mental health services upon the individual needs of patients / clients and the importance of valuing what they want.

I highly recommend this book.