1st Edition

The Notebook of a New Clinical Neuropsychologist Stories From Another World

By Rudi Coetzer Copyright 2018
242 Pages
by Routledge

242 Pages
by Routledge

242 Pages
by Routledge

Have you ever looked at a heavy volume on neuropsychology and wondered what it would actually be like to become a professional clinician, working every day with neurological patients in a busy hospital while simultaneously learning your craft? This book tells the story of that journey.   The Notebook of a New Clinical Neuropsychologist vividly details the experience of starting work in... Read more

Acknowledgements

Foreword by Robert Jones

Preface

1. Birth

First days in neuropsychology

2. Toughness

Traumatic Brain Injury

 

3. Fragility

Cerebro-vascular pathologies

 

4. Badness

Infections in the brain

 

5. Fate

Unpredictability in brain injury

 

6. Shock

Epilepsy and pseudo-seizures

 

7. Reality

Co‐morbidity in clinical neuropsychology

 

8. Life

Psychiatric aspects of neurological injury

 

9. Inheritance

Genetic disorders

 

10. Death

Dementia and neurological devastation

 

Epilogue

 

Appendix 1: Bibliography

 

Appendix 2: A short note on tests

 

Appendix 3: About the author

Biography

Dr Rudi Coetzer qualified with distinction as a Clinical Psychologist in 1987. He is Consultant Neuropsychologist and Head of Service with the North Wales Brain Injury Service, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board NHS Wales, and an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Clinical Neuropsychology in the School of Psychology, Bangor University.

At the beginning of this book, a young Rudi Coetzer asks a senior colleague for help: "How to resemble a clinical neuropsychologist, just a tiny little bit more as I go along?". This question is also continually asked by my students. This excellent book provides an answer and will help students and young professionals develop. A mixture of sound theoretical knowledge, experience, understanding, and most importantly, deep clinical wisdom, this is a great and highly-needed book for young and more experienced psychologists alike. (Sanna Koskinen, Clinical neuropsychologist, University lecturer, PhD, University of Helsinki)

This beautiful book interweaves the vulnerability and modesty of a budding new neuropsychologist with the narratives of patients as experienced from the clinician's side of the desk. What adds great weight to the value of the book is that Rudi Coetzer has remained true to the origins of his first cases and refrained from the temptation of choosing only the extraordinary cases – as a result his book is both remarkable and a precious addition to the literature. (Dr Ava Easton, Chief Executive, The Encephalitis Society, Honourary Fellow, The University of Liverpool)