Customer Reviews

The Silent Language of Psychotherapy

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A terrific book of "general principles" that anyone of practically any theoretical orientation will likely find useful. Incomprehensibly and inexplicably underrated. The theory is based on very sound principles of behavior and simply extends them to include times when we are not aware of what we are doing and why, and are also unaware of what might be rewarding about even our negative behaviors. It makes sense, because in many cases humans can be subject to reinforcement (reward) and punishment without full awareness. It gets really interesting when the interaction of two persons, each of whom is always "pulling" for a certain response from the other, interact. I won't give the rest away, as it's too much of a pleasure to read. It's a must-have for therapists who do more than just "band aid" therapy.

I read the first edition in 1977 or so and it revolutionized my work as a therapist. Beier's original thinking about how unconscious processes are rewarded can help the practicing psychotherapist understand the richness of the therapeutic relationship.

This book has been one of a handful of books that have made an impression on my worldview. While steeped in the practice of psychotherapy and patient therapist interactions, there is at it's core a powerful interpretive framework that is explicated throughout key chapters in this book. Without a doubt, in any area of ones interests, you can use this powerful hermeneutic, that gives justice to the myriad of human interactions and our abhorrent behaviors, to understand the dynamics at play.

I had the pleasure of having Dr David young as my Professor in 1991 as a freshman at IPFW. However, only I find out after realizing how powerful this narrative is, that one of its authors I had already known years prior.