Current Psychotherapies, 5th ed.

Therapists who work primarily with specific populations or adhere to a particular therapeutic orientation may have limited exposure to alternative therapeutic approaches. Other health care professionals, such as primary care physicians, may have little exposure to the principles and procedures used with various therapies. For such individuals who wish to better understand numerous forms of psychotherapy, Current Psychotherapies is an invaluable resource. Chapters in the text describe common therapies, such as cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, and existential therapy. Additional therapeutic approaches are also described, however, with which the reader is less likely to be familiar, such as bioenergetic analysis and psychodrama. While most of the therapeutic approaches relate to individual psychotherapy, there is also a chapter on family therapy. Although psychological therapies often have principles and terminology that make them difficult to comprehend, the information presented here is generally quite understandable. The text is well organized and consistent in the information it presents for each of the various therapies. Each chapter covers information useful for helping the reader understand the treatment approach, such as its history, the principles on which it is based, and the type of activities performed during the intervention. A case example demonstrating a therapeutic application is given along with a list of additional readings. Some information is also presented about the efficacy of the therapy and problems for which the approach has been utilized. The uniform presentation of information throughout allows ready comparison among the therapies on specific domains, promoting an understanding of the similarities and differences between them. There is also an outline that directs the reader to the topics covered for each form of psychotherapy. The text provides an overview of the therapies, rather than a description of how to perform them. Thus, it does not attempt to be a “how-to” manual. An issues chapter presents several important topics with which one must be familiar when conducting therapy. These issues primarily involve ethical issues, legal issues, and issues involved in working with certain populations. Although the coverage of these topics is brief, the chapter will alert the reader to an understanding of their importance. In addition to providing a survey of numerous psychotherapies, the text gives useful information that can be incorporated in the more general care of patients. Sections on personality in each chapter should facilitate an understanding of personality disorders and help the reader assess why a therapist might use a particular approach, depending on orientation. Numerous commonly used behavioral principles are reviewed, such as the importance of setting unambiguous and highly specific short-term goals for weight reduction rather than simply telling a patient to reduce calorie intake during the upcoming week. The therapies presented in this text, perhaps the “alternative therapies” in particular, also serve as a reminder of the great diversity of problems in human experience and the many approaches that have been used to treat them. Current Psychotherapies is a concise, informative, and well-written text for anyone interested in a refresher, an update, or learning more about the history, process, or application of numerous forms of psychotherapy.