Review of Psychotherapy with psychotherapists.

Reviews the book, Psychotherapy with psychotherapists edited by Florence W. Kaslow (see record 1990-98484-000). There has been little written about doing psychotherapy with patients who are themselves psychotherapists, despite the fact that many therapists have been in therapy and some have provided treatment for other therapists. This book presents a good overview of many of the issues involved when therapist treats therapist, although there are no real surprises or conceptual breakthroughs. Regardless of theoretical orientation or preferred treatment modality, several common problem areas emerge having to do with boundaries, confidentiality, pride, competition, and countertransference. There is still a clear need for research, including investigation of the supposed efficacy of treatment as training. More discussion and detailed case examples of treatment from the perspective of the therapist-patients would have been desirable. These relatively minor qualifications notwithstanding, therapists will find much here to stimulate and inform their work with therapist-patients. There are fewer "therapists' therapists" than there are therapist-patients, however, and this suggests an even larger readership: trainees and practicing clinicians in treatment. This book may not only help therapists to be therapists to their patients, but should also help therapists to be patients to their therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of On being a psychotherapist--The journey of the healer.

Reviews the book, On being a psychotherapist--The journey of the healer by Carl Goldberg (1986). Although at first glance the title of Goldberg's book may suggest that the reader can look forward to some sort of mystical expedition, this is clearly not what follows. The book is a gem and bound to become a widely read classic among burgeoning and master psychotherapists. Goldberg states in the preface that the book has been written as a guideline for practitioners with varying degrees of clinical experience. He further proposes to examine core issues affecting the practitioner which cut across various schools of thought and theoretical orientations--a tall order, for sure. Yet the book's compelling content, organization, concise writing style, and optimal blend of case notes, references, and insightful reflections on Goldberg's own clinical practice make this volume highly respectable. Goldberg's book is comprehensive and substantial by any standard. Over 150 topics are identified in the Table of Contents, all of which are important for psychotherapists to attend to, regardless of experience or competency level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Leaving it at the office.

Reviews the book, Leaving it at the office by John C. Norcross and James D. Guy (2007). This book is filled with compassionate fervor and recognition of the satisfactions of our professional lives. Twelve central elements to therapist self-care form the base for the 12 chapters of the book. Describing themselves as integrative psychotherapists, Norcross and Guy begin from the perspective of seeing the person of the psychotherapist as a valued human being. They encourage us to refocus on the rewards of our profession, while recognizing its hazards. Body, mind, and soul or spirit are each given their due: attending to activity, awareness and restructuring of our own cognitions (regardless of theoretical perspective), engaging in personal therapy of one kind or another, and cultivating spirituality or mission, creativity and growth. Each chapter sets out information that is described as a field guide rather than an instructional manual, a curious mix of 'how to,' 'you should,' and 'chill-out.' Information is culled from many types of sources: the authors' own research and that of a wide variety of others' with respect to self-care; workshops that the authors have offered regarding self-care; and clinical wisdom derived in part from interviews with master clinicians. Chapters are structured into sections focused on self-care both at the office and away from the office. (Yes, sometimes our not-great self-care extends outside of the office setting.) A summary self-care list ends each chapter, one that could serve as a wellness reminder or checklist for any individual. Further, the authors offer specific recommended reading at the end of each chapter, as well as an extensive full reference section at the end of the book. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of A perilous calling: The hazards of psychotherapy practice.

Reviews the book, A perilous calling: The hazards of psychotherapy practice by Michael B. Sussman (1994). In this book, the author presents chapters by therapists from various disciplines (e.g., psychology, social work, psychiatry) that examine the "hazards" that lay hidden in the practice of psychotherapy. The author contends that doing psychotherapy "poses significant dangers to clinicians" (p. 1). He believes that there are forces both internal and external to the therapist that may take their toll on the therapist's well-being. Sussman makes the point that while other overtly dangerous professions (e.g., firefighter) warn prospective candidates of the perils of their field, novice psychotherapists are not prepared for what awaits them. Psychotherapists, then, enter the profession unprepared for, if not blind to, possibilities that not only make them less effective in their work, but might actually harm themselves and their families. Sussman sees a real human cost to not preparing clinicians to be aware of, and deal with, these hazards. The book is divided into six parts that range from the therapist's personal development to renewal. Along the way the reader encounters professional, ethical and legal issues, clinical dilemmas, the emotional impact of the work, and the ailments of the therapist. Within each particular area are rather personal, and at times idiosyncratic, chapters from a variety of psychotherapists. There are chapters that deal with AIDS, the Holocaust, body shame, and being a female therapist. Most of the chapters have a distinctly clinical orientation, while a few come across as philosophical discourses. There is one chapter by an expert witness in the Margaret Bean-Bayog case who warns of the dangers of the press on one's career. The wide scope of the chapter topics, at times, gives the book a disjointed feel and the sense that it is trying to tackle too many issues at once. Overall, this book provides a new slant on what is involved in the practice of psychotherapy. It raises some important questions about the field and how we prepare for its impact on our lives, for the practice of psychotherapy surely does affect the practitioner. Sussman and some of the chapter authors make a good case for increasing communication about potential hazards and developing strategies and training methods that will minimize their effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The psychotherapist's own psychotherapy: Patient and clinician perspectives.

Reviews the book, The psychotherapist's own psychotherapy: Patient and clinician perspectives by Jesse D. Geller, John C. Norcross, and David E. Orlinsky (2005). The editors of this book have two aims: 1) "to synthesize and explicate the accumulated knowledge on psychotherapy with psychotherapists," and 2) "to provide clinically tested and empirically grounded assistance to psychotherapists treating fellow therapists, as well as to those clinicians who seek personal treatment themselves." The editors seem to be walking a fine line between asserting their own integrative conclusions and setting the conditions for readers to arrive at conclusions on their own. The tendency is toward the latter. With this propensity in mind, readers might approach the book as a truly encyclopedic collection- best approached in piecemeal (nonintegrative) fashion, focusing on fascinating morsels that can stand alone. In contrast, for those readers who are drawn toward integration, the book may elicit contrasting experiences of deep familiarity and understanding, and disorienting befuddlement about what was just read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Between conviction and uncertainty: Philosophical guidelines for practicing psychotherapists.

Reviews the book, Between conviction and uncertainty: Philosophical guidelines for practicing psychotherapists by Jerry N. Downing (see record 2000-08722-000). In this book, the author aims to provide a meta-analysis of the array of theories available to the practicing psychotherapist: that is, to provide a "theory about theories" in the hope of giving the psychotherapist a guide for better understanding what it is that goes on in therapy. Downing begins by working through several basic questions. First, he considers what therapists actually know about therapy. Downing concludes that theories of psychotherapy are likely to continue to evade scientific proof, mainly because they do not easily lend themselves to disproof. This bleak view of what we actually know about what we do in psychotherapy leads Downing to reflect on what it is that we could possibly discover or know about therapy, and here his inquiry turns epistemological. Downing suggests that therapists are guided by a kind of epistemology in action. That is, therapists may best be described as loosely following an organizing scheme throughout a therapy. Downing refers to these six schemes as lived modes of knowing. Downing then discusses each of the six, providing illustrations of what they might mean in practice. Downing presents a plausible account of what may occur in therapy and of how many therapists may work. However, his argument seems to be unnecessarily drawn out. Unfortunately, rather than lend support and inform, the breadth of topics and issues obscures his project. And, beneath it all, we are left wondering what we actually know about psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychotherapy tradecraft: The technique and style of doing therapy.

Reviews the book, Psychotherapy tradecraft: The technique and style of doing therapy by Theodore H. Blau (see record 1988-97142-000). This book begins with an introduction by Blau which defines the concept of "tradecraft" and is followed by eleven chapters divided into three sections. The first section is made up of four chapters concerned with becoming a psychotherapist. The second section of the book includes six chapters about actually conducting therapy. The third section of the book consists of one chapter about the stress of psychotherapy practice and includes a very helpful list of the signs of stress and burnout as well as specific suggestions designed to prevent or reduce stress. The book is certainly well written and well organized. The copies of various office forms, psychotherapy vignettes used to explain various treatment techniques, and specific examples of therapist responses, all provide helpful information for novice therapists. It is very likely that the book is most appropriate for graduate students and inexperienced practitioners. It will probably be of greatest interest to those professionals entering private practice or, who as teachers and supervisors, want to train others to do so. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Assessing and treating culturally diverse clients: A practical guide.

Reviews the book, Assessing and treating culturally diverse clients: A practical guide by Freddy A. Panaigua (see record 1996-97152-000). This book is a timely and provocative delineation of highly relevant considerations to be made by counselors, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals in the delivery of services to multicultural groups. The book deals with four ethnic populations in the United States—African American, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian. Panaigua's contribution is part of a series on Multicultural Aspects of Counseling by Sage Publications. The purpose of the series is to increase the mental health practitioner's knowledge and sensitivity to cultural differences and to assist in alleviating bias in the therapeutic process. This purpose is accomplished with precision and insight by Panaigua. Unlike some other books dealing with cultural diversity, Panaigua's work offers specific treatment methods which have been demonstrated to be successful in treating members of the targeted groups. Problem solving and social skills training are recommended in some cases. In other instances, assertiveness training, music therapy, or direct advice are the modalities of choice. In other cases, education, medication, or behavioral approaches are preferred. Assessing and Treating Culturally Diverse Clients can serve the educational needs of graduate students in the fields of psychology, counseling, family therapy, and social work. It is an excellent guide for use in either the training or practice of these helping professions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Outpatient behavior therapy: A clinical guide.

Reviews the book, Outpatient behavior therapy: A clinical guide edited by Michel Hersen. In the preface to the book, Hersen indicates that very few texts have incorporated a practical, how-to-do-it flavor for the treatment of a wide variety of patients. This book is designed to fill this gap. The book has three parts: general issues, adult disorders, and childhood disorders. This book could be a valuable, practical reference for psychotherapists who wish to utilize behavior therapy procedures with outpatient clients whose disorders fall within the scope of the book's chapters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives.

Reviews the book, Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives by Neil S. Jacobson (see record 1987-98176-000). Behavior therapy is known for, indeed in some circles notorious for, its commitment to procedural specificity. It is thus ironic how little has been written about the concrete, session-to-session work of outpatient behavior therapists. Neil Jacobson, a behavioral marital therapist and a veteran editor of clinical compendiums, has stepped into the breach with this most recent volume. As he notes in his introduction, "The impetus for this book is the belief that there is not enough material in behavior therapy literature to support a practicing clinician working in settings where outpatients must be treated." (p. 4). It is Jacobson's intent to help remedy this deficit. Altogether, Jacobson's latest collection is a worthwhile addition to any clinician's library, whether or not the practictioner is of a behavioral bent. The usefulness of the contributions may vary, but the volume as a whole is likely to serve as a valuable reference for the outpatient therapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Dialogues on difference: Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship.

Reviews the book, Studies of diversity in the therapeutic relationship by J. Christopher Muran (see record 2006-11731-000). This book has taken the opportunity to begin with dialogue among clinicians with different theoretical perspectives on issues of diversity, including psychoanalytic, cognitive– behavioral, and humanistic viewpoints. In introducing the book, Muran sets the stage for the dialogues with an open discussion of his own culturally diverse background. He also describes the diversity characterizing his professional training in cognitive– behavioral psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, which in part contributed to his recognition of a need for this dialogue across perspectives. The book is divided into eight dialogues consisting of one psychoanalytically oriented writer or set of writers, followed by comments on this essay by two theorists from different and overlapping theoretical points of view. The final component of each dialogue consists of the author’s reply to the comments. The dialogues address eight separate topics including race, social privilege and multiple identities, homosexuality, intersection of race and gender in psychotherapy with African American men, identity in psychotherapy with Latino clients, role of stereotypes in psychotherapy with Asian Americans, Middle Eastern identity and psychotherapy, and communication and metacommunication in psychotherapy. One of the intriguing features of this book is that the dialogue is in written form, giving the reader the advantage of reading it several times to better engage with each author’s point of view. Because the format resembles that of an oral presentation of a single paper followed by discussions of the paper, I found myself wanting to ask questions of each of the authors. Several of the authors appear to have been enriched through this dialogue,because the very nature of this exchange parallels the concept of mutual influence that lies at the heart of relational psychoanalysis. The quality of dialogue across the different sections of this book is rich and complex and highlights the critical need for ongoing dialogue on cultural difference and similarity in the discipline of psychology, not to mention our broader society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The personal life of the psychotherapist.

Reviews the book, The personal life of the psychotherapist by James D. Guy (see record 1987-97783-000). This book is a broad-ranging discussion of the psychotherapist as a person. It is a book about the development of the psychotherapist from the time he or she enters the field through his or her life stages and significant events, including burnout, therapist impairment, and death. Guy's book is a thoroughly researched and annotated work. He certainly has done a comprehensive review of the literature. His last two sections on career satisfaction and future trends are interesting. The book has one problem which is inherent in any attempt to encompass all of the theoretical orientations in the field. That is, at times it seems too encompassing and not definitive enough. All in all, however, this is a fine book which should be of interest to beginning psychotherapists as well as therapists in the field for some time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Conducting child custody evaluations: A comprehensive guide.

Reviews the book, Conducting child custody evaluations: A comprehensive guide by Philip Michael Stahl (see record 1994-98484-000). In this book, the author details how the courts benefit from custody evaluations, how the family benefits, when evaluations could actually be harmful, and offers some particularly unique and useful suggestions on evaluator biases. He brings up the interesting issue of who is the real client/consumer. He understands that the client really cannot be the child independent of his/her family, even though we all mourn the cliche, "best interests of the child," as if this phrase were some operationally clear "guideline." A main author bias is "the best parenting is achieved with two parents" (p. 25). There is at least some research evidence (and clinical experience) that would dispute this in more cases than the author might care to acknowledge. A second bias is that children must perceive that their parents can develop a post-divorce relationship free of hostility in which each parent is a champion for the other. Stahl displays a keen understanding of the dynamics of the post-divorce world. In his heart, he seems more a therapist than an "objective evaluator" and harbors a strong bias to help people move productively through the crises that are everywhere in evidence in post-divorce situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Experiential therapy: A symphony of selves.

Reviews the book, Experiential therapy: A symphony of selves by Richard E. Felder and Avrum Geurin Weiss (1991). This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking small volume that illustrates well the contributions, and the limitations of, experiential therapy. Defining psychopathology as a restricted capacity for experience, Felder and Weiss regard the basic objective of experiential therapy as increasing patients' capacity to experience and therefore to grow. This book embodies both the considerable virtues and the significant limitations of the experiential therapy movement. It reads in some ways as a historical document, clarifying the significant contributions made by a therapeutic orientation which established fundamentals, but remaining oblivious to the technical and systems-oriented innovations of the past decade. Today's therapist needs Gestalt techniques, Eriksonian interventions, awareness of family system factors, visualization strategies, facility in intrapsychic, couple and family conflict resolution—intervention techniques that make treatment more systematic and efficient. Still, the core ideas presented in Experiential Psychotherapy merit remembering. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Casebook for clinical supervision: A competency-based approach.

Reviews the book, Casebook for clinical supervision: A competency-based approach by Carol A. Falender and Edward P. Shafranske (see record 2008-06295-000). Falender and Shafranske's previous book, Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach, examined the practise of supervision in the language and framework of competencies. Although this comprehensive book makes a valuable contribution, the writing is decidedly conceptual and abstract, leaving the reader to wonder just how these principles might operate in practise. As if to answer this very question, Falender and Shafranske’s (2008) edited Casebook for Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach has appeared. The title and editors’ opening chapter promise that the model of supervision described in the earlier text will be illustrated through case material derived from the supervision sessions of the assembled experts and that the chapters of the two books correspond to and complement one another. After finishing the book, I found that although the Casebook did not fully deliver on its promises, I learned a great deal that will be of use in my teaching and practise of supervision. Most of the topics addressed in the Casebook chapters reflect focal concerns in the earlier text, including best practises of supervision, competency-based clinical supervision, alliance issues in treatment and supervision, ethics and legal issues, issues of culture and context, and evaluation. However, it must be said that many of the authors do little to explicitly tie their material to the editors’ model, leaving the reader with the task of determining just how the chapters explicate the earlier model. Overall, although it has some surprising weaknesses, the Casebook’s strengths outweigh them by a wide margin. The book may be read profitably on its own or in conjunction with the earlier companion volume. Graduate students learning how to conduct supervision as well as seasoned supervisors will find a great deal they can learn from in these chapters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Group exercises for adolescents: A manual for therapists.

Reviews the book, Group exercises for adolescents: A manual for therapists by Susan Carrell (see record 1993-98929-000). Practitioners who dare venture into the bewildering, unpredictable realm of group psychotherapy with adolescents likely will find Carrell's Group Exercises for Adolescents to be a wonderful navigational aid. While the bulk of the book contains 25 group exercises, two useful overview chapters precede the application section. A brief opening chapter offers some developmental highlights of adolescence, while the second chapter provides a Cook's tour of practical suggestions and recommendations for conducting adolescent groups. The latter is a superb introduction to the problems and prospects of group work with this challenging population, and it can almost stand alone as a primer for less experienced practitioners who are approaching the group leadership role with an adolescent group for the first time. More experienced leaders, however, will not be bored. While limited in scope, Carrell's Manual covers well its intended content. The book is well-written and carefully organized, and brings great clarity to each area examined, benefiting greatly from a distinct lack of jargon. A spiral binding facilitates use. While the workbook foregoes a scholarly base, its strength resides in pragmatism. These are methods that have worked well for the author, and which have survived the critical appraisal of a pool of over 300 teen clients who rated the exercises for effectiveness. The book is recommended highly as a valuable resource for therapists of any discipline who facilitate psychotherapy groups for adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)