Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis [Hardcover]

James O. Prochaska (Author), John C. Norcross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0495007773 | ISBN-13: 978-0495007777 | Edition: 6

Systematic and balanced, this comprehensive text uses a wealth of clinical case illustrations to help readers understand a wide variety of psychotherapies including psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, existential, person-centered, experiential, interpersonal, exposure, behavioral, cognitive, systemic, multicultural, and integrative. The Sixth Edition thoroughly analyzes 15 leading systems of psychotherapy and briefly surveys another 30, thus providing a broader scope than is available in most textbooks. Prochaska and Norcross explore each system's theory of personality, theory of psychopathology, and resulting therapeutic process and relationship. By doing so, they demonstrate how much psychotherapy systems agree on the processes producing change, while showing how they disagree on the content that needs to be changed. To bring these similarities and differences to life, the authors also present the limitations, practicalities, and outcome research of each system of psychotherapy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"SYSTEMS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY covers, in a scholarly and balanced manner, a wide range of theories and methods -- which is what we sorely need. When using this book in one of my graduate courses, the students gave me an A+ for assigning this wide ranging and stimulating book."

"In my many years of clinical teaching and training, SYSTEMS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY is the only text I have known to reach such singular comprehensiveness and usefulness in helping students learn the theoretical foundations of psychotherapy. Norcross and Prochaska go beyond conventional descriptions of theories to present integrative perspectives, therapeutic commonalities, outcome research, and future directions. A superb and practical text!"

"SYSTEMS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY is a special book that has a special place among theory books in psychotherapy. Most such books are duly informative, but the Prochaska and Norcross text is in a league of its own in terms of its ability to both inform and engage the reader in the material. It has everything that I look for in such a book: Depth of analysis, extremely clear and crisp writing, sound organization, and evenhandedness in its comparative review of the various theories. Bravo to Prochaska and Norcross for this wonderful accomplishment."

"The authors are to be commended for assembling such a carefully crafted book. They make a serious effort to integrate theory, research, and clinical practice into each chapter."

About the Author

James O. Prochaska, PhD, is [currently] professor of psychology and director of the Cancer Prevention Research Consortium at the University of Rhode Island and a clinical psychologist in part-time private practice. He has been the principal investigator on grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling over $75 million and has been recognized by the American Psychological Society as one of the five most-cited authors in psychology. His 30 book chapters and over 200 scholarly articles focus on self-change, health promotion, and psychotherapy from a transtheoretical perspective, the subject of his popular book, CHANGING FOR GOOD (with John Norcross and Carlo DiClemente).

John C. Norcross, PhD, is professor [and former chair] of psychology and distinguished university fellow at the University of Scranton and a clinical psychologist in part-time independent practice. Author of more than 250 scholarly articles, Dr. Norcross has written or edited 15 books, the most recent being EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES IN MENTAL HEALTH and PSYCHOTHERAPY RELATIONSHIPS THAT WORK. He is editor-in-chief of the JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: IN SESSION. Among his awards are APA's Distinguished Contributions to Education & Training Award, Pennsylvania Professor of the Year from the Carnegie Foundation, and election to the National Academies of Practice.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 646 pages
• Publisher: Brooks Cole; 6 edition (March 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0495007773
• ISBN-13: 978-0495007777
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A major step toward integration of the psychotherapies, August 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis (Hardcover)

In this, their 4th edition, Prochaska and Norcross have begun to achieve their goal--to make the cross-theoretical themes stronger than the language-bound and often confusing differences among psychotherapy theorists. As they clearly demonstrate, the similar themes among theories of talk therapy are strong and the differences among the leading theories are often subtle.

My graduate students, though, seem to still need some help at times sorting out the authors' voices from those of the original theorists. I hope to see future editions in which the readers' confusions are anticipated better and there is a better "safety net" to hang onto when the illusion of theoretical certainty is withdrawn.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standard yet different, April 9, 2004

By 

Sandor Freud - See all my reviews

This review is from: Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis (Hardcover)

The authors adequately aquaint the reader with a broad overview of the main theories of psychotherapy and use a language that is accessible to the advanced reader. They also provide personal examples from thier clinical experience that give life to the theories. Brief biographies of the originators of each school of therapy are provided at the beginning of each section which adds an additional personal touch to the theories. Although not extensive, the authors attempt to give the reader empirical data that demonstrates each theory's effectiveness in treating specific disorders. Overall, this is a compact yet comprehensive book that does what a book of its kind sets out to do: find a balance between breadth and depth.

22 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Broad Coverage--BUT TERRIBLE WRITTING, December 20, 1999

By 

Stephen McCandless (Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis (Hardcover)

As a supplemental reader for my graduate course work, this book provided a broad coverage of theorists and their systems. The writing, however, was simply atrocious. Facts are thrown together as random sentences--leaving the reader with a frustratingly incoherent narrative. Overall, the authors present an incredibly pedantic writing style. At times I found myself laughing that anyone could write in such a nonsensical way! Here's an sample of what the reader is in for..."The hyperinflation of brand-name therpaies has produced narcissistic fatigue...This might be called the Exaustion Theory of Integration: the cynical but accurate observation that peace among warring schools is the last resort." In my oppinion--it's better to invest in primary resources than to subject students to this book!