Psychodynamic Theory for Clinicians: (Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice Series)

The Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice series incorporates essential therapeutic principles into clinically relevant patient management. This first volume, Psychodynamic Theory for Clinicians , explains the major psychodynamic theories and shows how they provide a framework for clinical reasoning throughout the process of psychotherapy. Several clinical cases are presented at the beginning of the book and discussed throughout the text so readers can follow these patients in the context of each theoretical approach. Each chapter begins with learning objectives, ends with review points, and includes numerous tables, graphs, and bullet points. Appendices include a glossary, case formulation guidelines, and a comparison of psychodynamic and cognitive models.

Table of Contents:
Drive Psychology . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dissent: Alfred Adler and Carl Jung . . . . 27 Ego Psychology . . . . . 49 Interpersonal Psychoanalysis . . . . 65 Object Relations Theory . . . . 73 Self Psychology . . . . 89 Affect and Psychopathology . . . . . 97 Therapy and Cure I: Drive and Ego Psychologies . . . . . 117 Therapy and Cure II: The Relational Psychologies . . . . . . 131 Appendices Glossary of Psychodynamic Terminology . . . . . 151 Chronology of Major Contributors to Psychodynamic Theory . . . . . . 155 An Outline for Comprehensive Psychodynamic Formulation (by Andrew B. Klafter, M.D.) . . . . . .159 Comparison of Psychodynamic and Cognitive Models . . . . . . 195 Index . . . . . . . 199

Review :
PsycCRITIQUES, Volume 51, Issue 15 -- "Psychodynamic Theory for Clinicians, the first volume in the series Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice, is an ambitious work. Beginning with the theories of Freud and the origins of psychoanalysis, David Bienenfeld cogently summarizes the development of theoretical contributions over the last century. Included are the Freudian dissidents, Carl Jung and Alfred Adler, and then the theories of ego psychology, interpersonal, object relations, and self psychology. The reader is given an overview of psychodynamic theories that is concise, cogent, and almost encyclopedic. The two chapters on treatment arising from each position are succinct and show how the understanding of a patient's problems affects the therapeutic relationship. The change in the role of the therapist is well portrayed, beginning with the therapist as providing a blank screen for the client's free association to the therapist's empathic interactions and interpretations of transference. This book is overdue. Bienenfeld's elucidation of psychodynamic theories is a significant and much needed contribution. He claims the book is deliberately introductory. This modest statement conceals the fact that he has given the student, the supervisor or instructor, and the professional a cogent summary and comparison of psychodynamic theories. This effort should facilitate an integration of theories, if indeed that is desirable."