The thirst to understand, to “know thyself,” is as strong as ever—despite managed care's demands, society's “quick fix” mentality, and psychopharmacology's remarkable progress—and goes a long way toward explaining the continued popularity of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. The first of five volumes in the groundbreaking Core Competencies in Psychotherapy series, this exceptionally practical text by a renowned expert introduces students and professionals to the basic principles of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, focusing on long-term dynamic work with adults in individual therapy.
Unlike other texts, this concise yet comprehensive volume Takes difficult theoretical concepts and makes them accessible and practical for psychotherapists who want to master long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy Grows directly from the author's teaching experience with trainees and their questions and concerns and is thus directly linked to the types of learning problems encountered by the students who will use this book Uses clinical vignettes to show how to apply the key principles of psychodynamic theory to difficult clinical cases and how to grapple with the dilemmas that often arise in psychotherapeutic work Provides both residents and training directors with a guide to achieving core competency in this field, as mandated by the Residency Review Committee for Psychiatry. The author's approach reflects his personal therapeutic style—developed over 25 years of practice—and draws from several theoretical models, illustrating the pluralism in the field today and his own synthesis of those diverse conceptual frameworks. Beginning with a review of basic psychodynamic principles, the author then discusses how to assess patients, write a formulation, and think about indications and contraindications for long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. In additional chapters, the author focuses on major issues such as starting the therapy, the use of interventions, goals and therapeutic action, ways to work with resistance, countertransference, the use of fantasies and dreams, and termination of therapy. The last two chapters cover the optimal use of supervision and how to measure core competency achievement. Though written with the psychiatric resident in mind, this remarkably practical text will appeal to a broad audience of trainees in fields such as psychology, social work, counseling, and nursing. It will also be welcomed by educators and students alike as an invaluable teaching tool that can be “put to work” right away as a powerful adjunct to supervision, classroom teaching, and clinical experience with a variety of patients. Table of Contents
Introduction. Key concepts. Assessment, indications, and formulation. The nuts and bolts of psychotherapy: getting started. Therapeutic interventions: what does the therapist say and do? Goals and therapeutic action. Working with resistance. Use of dreams and fantasies in dynamic psychotherapy. Identifying and working with countertransference. Working through and termination. Use of supervision. Evaluating core competencies in long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Index. Reviews
“Long term psychodynamic psychotherapy is now recognized as an essential part of the therapeutic armamentarium of every competent practicing psychiatrist. It is Gabbard's unique genius to be able to write a basic text on this complex therapeutic modality that neither oversimplifies nor mystifies. This book will give students a brilliant start in developing their psychodynamic knowledge and clinical skills. The volume is described as a basic text, but clinicians who have not kept up-to-the-minute with the exciting new currents in this field will find this a stimulating refresher course. It is that for me. In short, every mental health worker will benefit from reading this text, and they will find that they refer to it repeatedly for guidance on clinical problems. The bibliography itself is worth the price of the book. The book belongs by your side.”—Arnold M. Cooper, M.D., Stephen P. Tobin and Dr. Arnold M. Cooper Professor Emeritus in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College; Training and Supervising Analyst, Columbia University Psychoanalytic Center, New York “From the opening quote of a patient at the end of treatment through an exposition of the fundamentals of psychodynamic psychotherapy we are in the hands of a master clinician, educator, and scholar. Dr. Gabbard speaks directly from the pages of this book in his lucid, candid, and engaging style. This is an instant classic that will have a profound impact on the way we teach and learn psychotherapy in the years ahead. A gift to psychiatry and psychotherapists from all disciplines.”—David A. Goldberg, M.D., Residency Training Director, California Pacific Medical Center; President, American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training About the Author:
Glen O. Gabbard, M.D., is Brown Foundation Chair of Psychoanalysis and Professor of Psychiatry, Director of Psychotherapy Education, Director of the Baylor Psychiatry Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine; Training and Supervising Analyst, Houston-Galveston Psychoanalytic Institute, Houston, Texas. Dr. Gabbard is also Joint Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis.
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