Review of Becoming solution-focused in brief therapy.

Reviews the book, Becoming solution-focused in brief therapy by John L. Walter and Jane E. Peller (see record 1992-97355-000). With this book, the authors' goal was to produce a manual to aid therapists in learning the model of constructing solutions in brief therapy. Theoretical assumptions about personality development and psychotherapy technique which are crucial to implementing the model are presented. Walters and Peller work within a framework which assumes that problems are maintained by individuals functioning in family and organizational systems and that these individuals have the resources to change personal behavior. Interactional patterns between individuals in various systems are the focus of attention. The book is a clear and consistent portrayal of a therapy approach which is growing in application. It is readable and practical. In summary, this is an effective book which demonstrates alternate theories (exceptions) which could provide an almost miraculous solution to some troubled clients. Advanced graduate students and active practitioners will find this a helpful book in learning the model of constructing solutions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Narrative solutions in brief therapy.

Reviews the book, Narrative solutions in brief therapy by Joseph B. Eron and Thomas W. Lund (see record 1996-98412-000). The narrative solutions approach developed in this volume is an attempt to integrate several existing psychotherapies. Most fundamentally, however, this new approach is a variant of brief interactional therapy, which was developed at the Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto, CA, beginning in the 1960s. The MRI approach posited that (1) a client's problems originated "from the mishandling of ordinary life difficulties" (p. 18), (2) "The well-intentioned attempts of family members to solve problems actually maintained problems" (p. 18), and (3) "Problems were resolved simply by interrupting problem-maintaining behaviors and getting people back on course" (p. 19). Eron and Lund agree with each of these tenets, but they contend that MRI therapists focused too narrowly on the client's overt behaviors. Though the authors maintain that it is important to deal with the client's actions, they do so within the context of the narrative meaning that the client ascribes to these actions. The authors' primary intent in this book is to answer the question, "What are the key ingredients of a helpful [therapeutic] conversation?" (p. 265). By presenting a coherent framework that they consistently apply to a variety of clinical cases, they provide a compelling answer about how therapists can more effectively talk with their clients. For therapists interested in learning about a solution-focused therapy that emphasizes the client's concrete actions as well as the meanings behind these actions, this book will serve as a useful guide. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Models of brief psychodynamic therapy.

Reviews the book, Models of brief psychodynamic therapy by Stanley B. Messer and C. Seth Warren. This book is suitable for supplementary reading in a graduate psychotherapy course, and is intended for graduate students in the field of clinical and counseling psychology. It is also intended as a concise reference work on brief psychodynamic therapies for clinicians who are or wish to practice in the newer mode of limited goals and limited sessions. The authors consider drive theory based psychotherapy treatment, as well as integrative and eclectic models of brief psychodynamic therapy. In consideration of each of the various approaches, Messer and Warren have primarily concerned themselves with four issues as a focal point of their analysis: (a) the theory of pathology involved; (b) the development of a clinical focus; (c) patient selection considerations, including indications and contraindications; and (d) typical techniques associated with the treatment involved. This text is an excellent addition to the literature, primarily for adjunct reading in graduate courses on psychotherapy. It also affords the opportunity for psychodynamically oriented clinicians to address a need for an overview and grounding in brief treatment models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Models of brief psychodynamic therapy.

Reviews the book, Models of brief psychodynamic therapy by Stanley B. Messer and C. Seth Warren (see record 1995-98730-000), stating that the book organizes the prevailing models of brief psychodynamic therapy (BPT) into a clear and easily comprehended framework. The opening chapter sets the stage for the remainder of the book through a general overview of the current and historical contexts in which brief psychodynamic therapies have been performed and developed. Current views of brief psychotherapy are reviewed from the perspectives of the patient, the therapist, and managed care. This is followed by a review of the historical background of BPT, in which credit is given to Freud, Rank, Ferenczi, Alexander, and Reich for their relevant technical and theoretical contributions. Next, the authors survey some of the research relevant to BPT. The chapter concludes with a comprehensive discussion on the learning and teaching of BPT. Once this groundwork is laid, the authors delve into a discussion of the major models of BPT currently practiced and researched. The authors group the BPTs along theoretical lines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The first session in brief therapy.

Reviews the book, The first session in brief therapy edited by Simon H. Budman, Michael F. Hoyt, and Steven Friedman (see record 1992-98543-000). This book provides an overview of the models of brief psychotherapeutic intervention. A major focus is how brief therapists structure and manage their initial contact with the patient. The editors intend this volume to be a casebook in which the reader can learn what therapists actually do in their clinical practice and offers the reader opportunities to further develop and sharpen his/her thinking regarding brief therapy. According to the reviewer, this book provides a fine survey of the current diversity of approaches to brief therapy. Taken as a whole, the book stimulates considerable thought on the most efficacious use of time in psychotherapy and will appeal to a wide audience including graduate students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Changing the rules: A client-directed approach to therapy.

Reviews the book, Changing the rules: A client-directed approach to therapy by Barry L. Duncan, Andrew D. Solovey, and Gregory S. Rusk (see record 1992-97964-000). The title of this book, and particularly its subtitle, convey the central message of the book. The subtitle signals to us that we may expect to find an emphasis on the client's own problem formulations as a guide to the therapist's behavior. Such an emphasis has decisive implications for the conceptual and technical framework of the authors' therapy. Two implications are especially worthy of note at the outset: first, the book aligns itself conceptually with the phenomenologically oriented models of psychotherapy. Second, the book sets forth a technology that emphasizes the collaborative and equalitarian aspects of the client-therapist relationship. The book utilizes a practice-oriented approach that documents its case through extensive presentations of verbatim therapy excerpts rather than the formal use of empirical research. The book thus stands as a clinical contribution that depends for its validity upon the cogency with which extant theory is illustrated clinically. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Ethnicity and family therapy.

Reviews the book, Ethnicity and family therapy edited by Monica McGoldrick, Joe Giordano, and John Pearce (see record 1996-98534-000). This book addresses the subject of ethnicity and how it affects one's perceptions and lifestyle as a patient and a therapist. It offers therapists comprehensive tools and information to utilize when thinking about their own ethnicity and the backgrounds of their patients. The cultural histories and views of 19 different European groups and Latino, Asian, African, and Arab cultures are explored. In addition, population statistics are offered and cultural migration histories are explored. In sum, Ethnicity and Family Therapy explores how different cultures view and utilize psychotherapy. The reviewer found this book to be clearly written and well organized and recommends that therapists read this book and then keep it as a reference to explore ethnicity in a thorough manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of In search of solutions: A new direction in psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, In search of solutions: A new direction in psychotherapy by Williams Hudson O'Hanlon and Michelle Weiner-Davis (see record 1989-98511-000). This book is a presentation of solution-oriented therapy, which derives from the work of Milton Erickson. The book also draws upon research from the Mental Research Institute's work in brief therapy, and from the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, where the second author was part of the research team. The book, however, is not a presentation of research; there are no discussions of statistics or research design. What the book does discuss is implementing solution-oriented therapy, an approach which focuses on the strengths of clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The integrative power of cognitive therapy.

Reviews the book, The integrative power of cognitive therapy by Brad A. Alford and Aaron T. Beck (see record 1997-97373-000). This book makes a case for Cognitive Therapy (CT) as the integrative paradigm for psychotherapy. The writing instructs the reader in Cognitive Therapy and advocates its superiority to other approaches, especially the so-called psychotherapy integration movement of the Society for Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI), to integrate the diversity that is contemporary psychotherapy. The authors want to show us the way into the twenty-first century, and there are far worse guides for us to follow. CT is comprehensive in theory and technique, and it is sensibly grounded in empirical findings and to a lesser extent in cognitive psychology. Nonetheless, some will be reluctant to grant a monopoly to Beck and his successors. All should read this book and decide on which side of the issue to stand. At the very least, the reader will learn about CT or have previous learning consolidated, and will engage in a provocative debate about the nature and future of psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Existence and therapy.

This will doubtlessly prove to be an exceptionally difficult book for the average psychologist to understand, whether he be clinician or experimentalist. Not only is Dr. Sonnemann's manner of writing exquisitely involved; but his ideas, aside from the violent emotional reactions they are bound to arouse in most scientifically minded readers, almost defy any purely intellectual comprehension. Existence and Therapy is a thoroughgoing discussion of the existentialist viewpoint of Heidegger, Jaspers, Binswanger, Boss, and other recent European philosophers and clinicians. It attempts to make mincemeat of empiricism, objectivism, experimentalism, Freudianism, Gestaltism, Jungianism, and virtually every other influential contemporary way of thinking and therapizing. In so doing, it makes some telling points, particularly in relation to some of the shortcomings of orthodox Freudians and Gestaltists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of HIV treatment: Mental health aspects of antiviral therapy.

Reviews the book, HIV treatment: Mental health aspects of antiviral therapy by Michael Shernoff and Raymond A. Smith (see record 2000-02567-000). In this monograph, the authors offer valuable, requisite knowledge for mental health providers who work with HIV positive patients. The authors impart essential biomedical information about antiviral treatments without becoming overly technical and provide vivid case studies to highlight the psychosocial context of antiviral treatment. The authors then succeed in bringing attention to the often ignored intersection of psychotherapy and medical treatment. One minor limitation of Shernoff and Smith's monograph is that little information is provided regarding psychotherapy with HIV positive children and older adults; the majority of the clinical examples feature adult, gay clients. Some therapists may take issue with the authors' suggestions that, in certain cases, the disclosure of a therapist's HIV status can facilitate empathy, and a supportive hug can be encouraging. Despite professional agreement or disagreement with these interventions, the authors clearly state that an eclectic approach represents one in which treatment decisions are made only after careful thought and consideration, with the benefit of supervision. The reviewer cannot help but agree, and commend Shernoff and Smith on providing an infinitely useful, illustrative text on a critically important topic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Personality styles and brief psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, Personality styles and brief psychotherapy by Mardi Horowitz, Charles Marmar, Janice Krupnick, Nancy Wilner, Nancy Kaltreider, and Robert Wallerstein (1984). This book by Horowitz and his colleagues falls in the category of psychodynamic psychotherapy, and in fact lies very close to the heart of traditional, but updated, forms of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Clinicians who have attempted to master ego-analytic psychotherapy will recognize key concepts in this book that are germane to traditional therapy. These include: stressful events that precipitate psychopathology in specific personality types; the concept of wish, defense, and the dynamic compromise behavior/attitude; patterns of defensive organization and cognitive style typical of personality types; therapeutic tactics related to those personality patterns; and the triad of insight-transference relationship, current relationships, and parental relationships. Horowitz's book has value for a number of overlapping purposes. It should be included in a course on short-term therapy, it is an up-to-date and sophisticated review of personality theory, it is important in the empirical refining of psychodynamic technique, short- or long-term, and it is essential for an understanding of how psychotherapy research is indeed beginning to have a significant impact on psychotherapy theory and technique. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Brief psychotherapies: Principles and practices.

Reviews the book, Brief psychotherapies: Principles and practices by Michael F. Hoyt (2009). Despite the evident desire of many clients to address their issues in as time-efficient manner as possible (even one session), most therapists are trained to deliver psychotherapy via longer-term models of practice. Although more graduate programs than in the past are beginning to offer training in brief therapy, in many instances this is a one course elective without related practical experience. Hoyt’s book provides a wide-angle overview of the field of brief therapy, as well as an up close look at one of its most prominent models (Solution-Focused Therapy). In doing so, it could serve as a centerpiece for courses in brief psychotherapy. Time sensitive therapy fits in a time sensitive world—a world in which both the clients and funders of services want problems to be addressed in as focused a way as possible. This book teaches therapists a great deal about how to navigate in that world. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Women changing therapy: New assessments, values and strategies in feminist therapy.

Reviews the book, Women changing therapy: New assessments, values and strategies in feminist therapy edited by Joan Hamerman Robbins and Rachel Josefowitz Siegel (1985). The assertion has been made that women in general, and feminist therapists in particular, have impacted on the theory, research, and practice of psychotherapy. Women Changing Therapy is a compilation of articles designed to provide evidence for this assertion. The book grew out of the participation of a number of female therapists in the Women's Institutes of the American Orthopsychiatric Association and its breadth of topic areas addresses a wide range of issues in psychotherapy. The twenty articles are loosely arranged in three thematical areas: Women's Issues: New Assessments, Valuing Our Selves, and New Strategies in Feminist Therapy. This volume is a patchwork of sorts which attempts to detail the effect women have had on the psychotherapeutic process. While it is uneven in places, its blending and contrasting sets it up as a good reference piece and/or volume for the uninitiated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Saying goodbye: A casebook of termination in child and adolescent analysis and therapy.

Reviews the book, Saying goodbye: A casebook of termination in child and adolescent analysis and therapy edited by Anita G. Schmukler (see record 1991-98015-000). Anita Schmukler's new book is comprised of 10 clinical and 6 theoretical papers. Schmukler and her colleagues set themselves the task of exploring and illustrating the theoretical and technical issues involved in ending child analyses. The primary theoretical question under review is, of course, the selection of criteria for terminability. The theoretical articles in this book try to tease out with some specificity the changes in the child and in the sessions themselves that indicate termination is on the horizon. Several articles outline criteria for termination, as indicated both in symptomatic improvement in the outside world and in the evolution of the transference neurosis in the analyst's office. The life and times of children and analysts at work around termination are richly illustrated. All practicing child analysts will recognize the pains and pleasures inherent in their line of work. And all will feel helped by the clarity of conceptualization offered as they think through with their own child patients and their parents the question of when it is time to say goodbye. However, the most important criterion for terminability, the child's expanded capacity to integrate disparate parts of himself or herself and metabolize his or her own experience, is inadequately explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Parent-child interaction therapy.

Reviews the book, Parent-child interaction therapy by Tom L. Hembree-Kigin and Cheryl Bodiford McNeil (see record 1995-98294-000). This book outlines an important, relatively new behavior therapy method with children called Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). PCIT is a technique that explicitly aims at developing mutual parent and child skills in an affectionate relationship, while retaining the traditional emphasis upon positive social behaviors and (mostly) noncoercive disciplinary efforts. According to the reviewer, the authors have done a very sound job of producing a helpful manual that points in advance to the resolution of common problems in dealing with behaviorally disturbed children and their parents. Although there are some caveats, this book important contribution to the child treatment literature will be beneficial to psychotherapists of all persuasions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Divorce therapy.

Reviews the book, Divorce therapy by Douglas H. Sprenkle (1985). This book is an edited collection of a special issue of the Journal of Psychotherapy and the Family. The stated aim is to provide a "broad-spectrum" coverage of divorce therapy. The emphasis of this collection is to build a theoretical and research foundation for practice. This volume accomplishes both of these objectives. The collection has value to the student and to the practitioner who is looking for an introduction to working with individuals, couples, and families undergoing the transitions accompanying divorce. Those experienced clinicians looking for clinical tools to add to their repertoire will be disappointed. The volume's organizing conceptual model is systemic theory, particularly from a structural perspective which addresses the changing familial structure as a function of divorce. Overall, Divorce Therapy communicates that the difficulty of making the decision to divorce, the impact of the divorce on the entire family system, and the perspective that divorce should be treated in a manner similar to other stressful family transitions which necessitate family restructuring, such as the leaving-home stage in the family life cycle. This volume's limitations do not seriously detract from meeting its objectives. It is successful as a broad-based introduction to divorce from a clinical perspective while providing a unifying theoretical model for conceptualizing the treatment of divorce in the context of the family. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)