We learn of the process through which they were helped to heal and grow, and of the issues their therapists struggled with along the way. This book should be required reading for students in all mental health disciplines. It preserves and teaches the finest possibilities of our work. G. Dean Twenty-five distinguished contributors, representing agency and private practice, clearly show how psychoanalytic understanding is critical to the successful treatment of the broadest spectrum of patients whatever the treatment setting. This book is unique, not only in its breadth of clinical examples, but also in its clear clinical demonstration of a number of contemporary psychoanalytic approaches.
Social workers have to deal with the kinds of patients who come because of life crises.
With generous and illuminating clinical illustrations, the authors show how application of psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy can be used to provide in-depth treatment for these very difficult cases. This anthology effectively demonstrates the usefulness of a psychoanalytic perspective with client populations erroneously considered unable to benefit from this approach. This includes populations who have been severely traumatized, who present sordid and abusive histories and severe pathologies such as childhood sexual abuse, family violence, drug addiction, HIV and AIDS, depression, trauma of foster care, anorexia, and marital discord. The case material concerns clients of various cultural, ethnic and racial groups. Chapters focus on practice and technique and include issues of countertransference, establishment of an alliance, and the creation of a therapeutic holding environment.