Doing Psychotherapy [Hardcover]

Michael Franz Basch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 16, 1980 | ISBN-10: 0465016847 | ISBN-13: 978-0465016846 | Edition: 1

Here is a practical guide to doing psychotherapy which, unlike most other manuals that present an idealized view of the therapist-patient relationship, shows what the therapeutic encounter is really like. Using detailed excerpts from clinical protocols, and without omitting the inevitable mistakes that a therapist will make, Dr. Basch draws the reader into the therapeutic dialogue as a way of experiencing what actually happens in the course of treatment with cases of varying complexity.The author focuses on the treatment of the kind of patients who, though likely to make up the majority of a therapist’s practice, are generally ignored in training guides—those who are not acutely disturbed, whose pathology is minimal, but whose personal relationships are usually troubled, unsatisfying, and frequently destructive. Dr. Basch’s approach, developed over twenty years of practicing and teaching psychotherapy, is dynamic and analytic in that he considers the management of the transference relationship as basic to the treatment process. however, he avoids the rigidities often associated with the classical psychoanalytic position and does not hesitate to incorporate into his teaching methods techniques associated with other “schools” of therapy. Throughout, he stresses building on the patient’s strengths rather than searching for pathology.This wise and useful book not only will prove invaluable to all beginning psychotherapists—whether their background is one of psychiatry, psychology, or social work—but will also serve as an ideal refresher for those more experienced in clinical work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As a guide to the actual conduct of treatment, Doing Psychotherapy may well be the best introductory text available." -- --Robert Stolorow, Yeshivah University

About the Author

Michael Franz Basch, M.D., is the Cynthia Oudejans Harris, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at Rush Medical College in Chicago, the training and supervising psychoanalyst at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, and is in the private practice of psychiatry and psychoanalysis. He is the author of Doing Psychotherapy (1980), Understanding Psychotherapy: The Science Behind the Art (1988), and Practicing Psychotherapy: A Casebook (1992).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 1 edition (July 16, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465016847
• ISBN-13: 978-0465016846
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's okay, but there are better books out there., August 24, 2004

By 

Psychiatrist in training (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doing Psychotherapy (Hardcover)

As a psychiatrist in training, I found this book helpful, but I didn't like the fact that Dr. Basch's patients were always so well-behaved and predictable. He is a thoughtful therapist, but for help that is much more comprehensive, I'd recommend "Becoming a Therapist" by Bender and Messner. The duo of a trainee and seasoned psychiatrist works well because they are able to remember the questions of a beginner, but respond with the experience of a supervisor.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars understanding psychotherapy, April 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Doing Psychotherapy (Hardcover)

I have read and reread this book. If you are in therapy or or thinking of therapy it is absolutly the best book to read. Any confusion about your own therapy will be mentioned in some way in this book. It helps to clear your own mind and look at yourself in a productive way, realising that no matter how hard therapy is there is a reason for everything a therapist does. The book gives comfort when dealing with difficult issues as you might see yourself in one of his patients and realise that your own therapist is like Dr. Basch and doing what is best for you and totally on your side, eager to help you. It is a fantastic book, and I have never ever read a better book on psychotherapy. Thank you Dr. Basch.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Doing Psychotherapy by Basch, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Doing Psychotherapy (Hardcover)

This book is readable, astute and extremely well written. In the text, Basch has clearly illustrated the application of the psychoanalytic approach to therapy. Although Basch, at times, uses extensive psychological jargon, students in the field should not have trouble following along. Doing Psychotherapy is a useful reference book for any psychologist or student in the field planning on this line of work.