Customer Reviews

Long-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Basic Text (Core Competencies in Psychotherapy)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a graduate student in a predominately psychodynamic program, I have been assigned a myriad of psychodynamic/analytic literature, and this book, by far, is the most incisive, jargon free, and useful tool I have found for understanding dynamic theory-all its important nuances- and perhaps, even more importantly, for applying it to patients. Gabbard also elucidates many ancillary topics, such as fee setting and phone calls, which the reader quickly learns are not so ancillary, but an integral part of the therapeutic technique and process. It is also highly refreshing and empowering to know that this masterful and erudite work on PSYCHOTHERAPY, and its implied necessity, was done by a biologically trained PSYCHIATRIST. Wow, sheer joy!

This is a an expensive, but really great book on long-term psychodynamic therapy which is often used to treat borderline personality disorders and other conditions that are more serious than the everyday problems of the average person.

It is actually a short book only being 210 pages. However, it covers a lot of ground and does it in a way that is easy to read. It introduces key concepts right at the beginning then it goes into assessment, indications and formulation. The next two chapters cover the nuts and bolts of psychotherapy and the role of the therapist. As a whole, the text does a great job of covering the end-to-end therapeutic process.

There are a lot of books on this topic, but this one is very clear, well-organized and covers the most important topics in just enough detail. There is not much fluff in this book and the clinical examples are useful and not overdone.

This is a great book for both graduate students and seasoned clinicians wishing to incorporate psychodynamic principles into their work. While many books about psychodynamic/psychoanalytic psychotherapy require a sound grasp of jargon, Dr. Gabbard has done a great job presenting the material in a very palatable fashion. I would agree with one reviewer who stated that the reference section alone is the worth the price of the book. As someone who did not receive indepth training in psychodynamic/psychoanalytic therapy (I had been trained in CBT and systemic therapies), I found this to be a good launching point for further reading into psychodynamically oriented therapies(e.g. Mitchell & Greenberg; Fromm, Sullivan, etc.). If you are someone who has already received graduate level training in basic counseling/therapy skills, you might find yourself skipping over bits and pieces of the book. However, with that said, I would suggest this book to any counselor/therapist looking to incorporate psychodynamic thought into their work!

Add me to the list of people who really like this book.

For years, I've consulted Gabbard's book on Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (see my Amazon review from a few years ago) for ideas, even though I'm not primarily a psychodynamic therapist. It relates psychodynamic ideas to the DSM-IV in a valuable way, suggesting clinical formulations and potential treatment strategies.

The current book is a readable yet information-rich intro to psychodynamic therapies. This is a great intro and if I was teaching a course on psychodynamic therapy, I'd probably use this book. But it is also a great way for therapists (like me -- not trained in psychoanalysis, but sympathetic to the approach) to enhance their understanding and appreciation of this venerable approach.

I am student in a masters of social work program and needed to find a resource for an educational presentation explaining what psychodynamic therapy is and what it isn't. This book did an excellent job of explaining contemporary psychodynamic theory and how it is applied. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to develop a clearer understanding of what psychodynamic theory is.

Well-written, easy to read but comprehensive description of basic issues, research behind,and technique of doing psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy. It brings together current thinking about such techniques, or rather, the ways of approaching and understanding the complex interaction between two subjects working together. Good, useful clinical examples. Good introduction to analytic concepts about psychotherapy.

The book is well written and helpful for any mental health professional even if we differ with some of the issues presented.