Customer Reviews

Emotions in the Practice of Psychotherapy: Clinical Implications of Affect Theories

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Is this book only for clinician's and other practicing therapists? No! Of course, they'll understand it on a level denied me because I lack their credentials, but it's still a "good read" for the lay public, if only for its poetic language. Surprisingly for a scholarly work such as this one there are no footnotes! However since all of the references are contained in the text the words flow without interruption. (There's a complete bibliography at the back of the book.)There are many other plusses such as wonderful graphics, ie, tables and diagrams, some of which were supplied by Dr. Plutchik's son, Roy. Plutchik covers the fundamental questions of "Who Am I?","What Are My Goals?", and "Fear Of Death". A major surprise was his assertion that emotions are not usually considered when dealing with patients/clients. In exploring the literature of psycho-therapy he found few instances where they were taken into account. (I, apparently, am one of the fortunate few whose emotions were considered by my psycho-therapist over 47 years ago.) The most interesting chapters to me were Chapter 8 which deals with existential issues and Chapter 9 which showed me why the "why" questions we often ask of others are not generally productive. You'll have to read the book yourself to discover the reason. In the Epilogue, on page 170, Dr. Plutchik writes, "Therapeutic communication is an extremely complex process, and there is still a great deal that is not known about how it works best. I hope that the ideas in this book stimulate others to continue the process of filling in the missing parts. I hope that the future mosaic will be a design full of beauty and elegance and powerful in its ability to affect human life." This book reveals the very humble man who, despite all his knowledge, he must be.

This vibrant, compelling book is a celebration of emotions. Dr. Plutchik skillfully guides us through the theoretical underpinnings of the role of emotions in psychotherapy with brilliant clarity and simplicity. Using his psychoevolutionary model he blends solid theory with practical implications. In so doing, he demonstrates how a thrapist might use emotions and personality traits to affect change. He presents a vision of emotion that is exciting and that represents an elegant synthesis of the field. This gem of a book is an invaluable source for clinicians, students, researchers, and those with curiosity about the role of emotion in life.