Individual psychotherapy and the science of psychodynamics

Description

Dr Malan's book is a firmly established 'Classic' textbook of dynamic psychotherapy and its popularity remains high. This second edition brings important areas of theory and practice up to date, but the inimitable character of the original book is retained. The book offers an invaluable description of the technique of dynamic psychotherapy and the theory on which it is based. Starting from theories of everyday mental mechanisms the text leads on to discussion of some of the most profound problems suffered by human beings. Practical applications of theory through different techniques are described, from straightforward situations to the handling of some of the most difficult and dangerous types of patient likely to be encountered in out-patient psychotherapy. Part of the book's unique personality is derived from the way in which it attempts to distil from psychoanalytic theory the core of scientific truth. Dr Malan supports his argument throughout the book with clear undeniable clinical evidence. Consisting largely of clinical stories on which the discussion of theory and technique is based, this is a book that will continue to appeal to anyone with a deep interest in people. It is an excellent companion and resource for psychotherapists of all degrees of experience, psychiatrists, social workers and general practitioners. For psychotherapists in training it remains an outstanding textbook.

Description

In this book the principles of dynamic psychotherapy, from the most elementary to some of the most profound, are presented in logical order, but almost entirely in connection with illustrative true stories which are told as they happened. Such stories are practically never simple, and hence most of them illustrate several different principles and ideas at the same time. This means that if the reader wishes to learn about such a concept as 'transference' or 'acting out', he will find it discussed and illustrated in various different places in the book in connection with a number of different stories, often with cross-references one to the other. I hope this book is entertaining enough to be read in sequence like a novel. But it can also be used for reference. For this purpose all the reader has to do is to look up any particular concept in the index or the table of contents, and turn to the appropriate passages. In the first of these the concept will usually be defined, and in any subsequent passages it will be further illustrated and elaborated. - D.H.M., page v.

Subjects

Other Editions

• Individual psychotherapy and the science of psychodynamicsButterworths1979-01-01
• Individual psychotherapy and the science of psychodynamicsButterworths1995-01-01