2. If Melanie Poorman wanted to encourage a caller to the Department of Veterans Aff airs suicide prevention hotline to seek psychotherapy, what could she tell the caller about its eff ectiveness? We have examined how psychological professionals treat people with psychological disorders. We have considered a range of approaches that include both psychologically based and biologically based therapies. Clearly, the fi eld has made substantial progress in recent years both in treating the symptoms of mental disorders and in understanding their underlying causes.

Before we leave the topic of treatment of psychological disorders, turn back to the prologue in which Melanie Poorman off ers suicide prevention counseling for military veterans.