First Responder's Guide to Abnormal Psychology (PDF)

Dr. Dorfman is active in the education and training of professional psychologists and has published his work in professional journals and books and presented at scientific meetings in the areas of assessment of personality, treatment of the seriously mentally ill and their families, psychopathology, clinical interviewing and the evaluation of trainees' attitudes toward managed health care systems and brief therapy. He has served as a consultant to Broward County Florida' Sheriff's Department in training detectives on interviewing mentally disturbed subjects and serves as a consultant to the county Crisis Intervention Team. Dr. Dorfman has made numerous radio and television appearances, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, and "360" with Anderson Cooper discussing mental health issues.

Dr. Lenore E. Walker is a clinical and forensic psychologist who currently is a full time professor of psychology at Nova Southeastern University at their Center for Psychological Studies where she coordinates the forensic psychology concentration with the doctoral students.

She has been in the independent practice of psychology for over 30 years and currently practices forensic psychology on a part-time basis. She pioneered the use of BWS in courts of law, first helping juries understand how a battered woman could fail to leave a battering relationship and then, provided testimony on why a battered woman might be justified in killing her abuser in self-defense. She frequently testifies on the emotional impact of interpersonal violence (physical, sexual, and/or psychological abuse) on victims.

Walker received her Ed.D. degree in psychology from Rutgers, The State University in New Jersey in 1972, her MS in psychology from CCNY and AB from Hunter College, both of the City University of New York. She recently earned a MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology from NSU. She has authored 10 books and over 50 professional articles on the topics of trauma from interpersonal violence and gender issues, especially multicultural, feminist and survivor therapy systems.

She is invited by governments and organizations around the world to speak on the topic of domestic violence, and frequently presents workshops on the topic.

"Well done! This book was written to help all those experiencing mental health emergencies by educating first responders who are most often in a position to help. This book should not only be incorporated in all training of first responders but be on the bookshelf of all who conduct such training, first responder supervisors, and people in professions frequently exposed to crisis situations."
- Charles R. Figley, Ph.D., Editor, Traumatology and Director, the Florida State University Traumatology Institute in Tallahassee, Tallahassee, Florida

"First Responder's Guide to Abnormal Psychology is an original contribution to the field. First responders, those who are first on the scene of an emergency, need to understand how people respond to disaster both physically and emotionally. They need to understand abnormal psychology, most particularly as it applies to people in crisis. There is little in the literature that addresses this need. Dorfman & Walker have written a text that responds to that need. In a thorough and jargon free manner, they provide an overview of abnormal psychology as we understand it today in a way that meets the needs of first responders. The scope is broad in its theoretical understanding and clear in its clinical examples. It will be useful to those teaching and training all of those people who become the first responders, that is fire departments, criminal justice systems and health care systems. It will serve to enhance the education and training of those first responders."
- Laura Barbanel, EdD, ABPP, Brooklyn College, Executive Director, Trauma Treatment Center, Manhattan Institute for psychoanalyis and Author of Psychological Interventions in times of crisis

"This book will save lives. A unique toolkit and briefing book for first-responders, it fills a critical gap. This comprehensive and innovative resource puts cutting-edge research, theory, and experience into practical form. It will help those who risk their lives to help us."
- Kenneth S. Pope, Ph.D., ABPP, Author of "What Therapists Don't Talk About and Why"

"First Responder's Guide to Abnormal Psychology: Applications for Police, Firefighters and Rescue Personnel presents the major mental health diagnostic categories for the nonpsychologist reader toward the goal of improving the interactions of first responders with individuals who may meet criteria for a mental health disorder. … In summary … this book meets its goal of being a guide to abnormal psychology. The chapters related to the mental disorders and the legal system are thorough and easily readable." (Carrie H. Kennedy, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 52 (39), 2007)