The Art Of Psychotherapy

Anthony Storr's accessible and humane account of the art of psychotherapy has been widely read by practitioners in training and others in the helping professions, as well as many general readers. The second edition includes a thoroughly revised account of the obsessional personality, and a new chapter that draws on the author's recent work on the importance of the processes of healing that take place within the isolated individual.

Counselling and psychotherapy are effective to the extent that they promote the creativity of clients and patients. Creativity is both a lifestyle and a health resource. A creative lifestyle implies learning to be the authors of our own lives and a creative approach to our inner lives and our social environment gives us coherence and authenticity. This book derives creative principles for counselling and psychotherapy from practical modern approaches in these fields, as well as from psychoanalysis, hermeneutics, and new concepts of creativity itself. The creative attitude central to this represents an integrative basis for the differential application of various counselling and treatment techniques. Creative counselling serves to assist in coping with distress and clearly defined conflicts, and encourages personal and professional development. Creative psychotherapy is an aspect of dynamic, analytic and integrative psychotherapy. The hermeneutic principles – memory, narrative shaping, interactional experience – are activated with a view to ridding patients of psychopathological symptoms. In the modern world with all its challenges, creative counselling and psychotherapy are of outstanding importance. The book outlines a readily understandable, vital, and creative approach to the practice of counselling and psychotherapy in the service of the development of personal and social creativity.

The chapters in the second part of the book on Developmental Affective Neuroscience and Developmental Neuropsychiatry address the science that underlies regulation theory’s clinical models of development and psychopathogenesis. Although most mental health practitioners are actively involved in child, adolescent, and adult psychotherapeutic treatment, a major theme of the latter chapters is that the field now needs to more seriously attend to the problem of early intervention and prevention.

Psychotherapy, like most other areas of health care, is a synthesis of scientific technique and artistic expression. The practice, like any other, is grounded in a series of standardized principles, theories, and techniques. Individual practitioners define themselves within the field by using these basic tools to achieve their therapeutic goals in novel ways, applying these rudimentary skills and guiding principles to each situation. However, a toolbox full of treatment approaches, no matter how comprehensive, is not enough to effectively reach your patients. Effective work can only be accomplished through a synthesis of the fundamental scientific methods and the creative application of these techniques, approaches, and strategies. The Art and Science of Psychotherapy offers invaluable insight into the creative side of psychotherapy. The book addresses the fundamental split between researchers and scholars who use scientific methods to develop disorder-specific treatment techniques and those more clinically inclined therapists who emphasize the individual, interpersonal aspects of the therapeutic process. With contributions from leading therapists, the editors have compiled a practical handbook for clinical psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals.

A growing number of art therapists are also trained in group analytic psychotherapy. This book explores the new theories and models for practice arising from the merging of these two disciplines. Contributors ask whether a model can be applied universally to art therapy group work with diverse client groups. They present in-depth case studies looking at work with the following:- * children * drug and alcohol abusers * forensic patients * patients on acute psychiatric wards * the cognitively-impaired elderly * institutionalised patients moving into the community A common theme which emerges is that the physical use of art materials and the space of the art room offer a possibility for communication of feelings which is not possible in purely verbal groups. This allows clients who would not normally be considered for group therapy to benefit from a psychodynamic group process.

At some point, the therapeutic relationship takes on a certain shape that invites clients to speak their story with all of its pain, hope and angst, and for therapists to become containers of this emotional world of patient. In this light, psychotherapy is the art of emotional engagement or the art of feeling. This book contains nine chapters, with a common binding thread that documents clinical case work. Chapter One is an excellent chapter for those readers who would never think about the door to the therapy room in such a way. From now on, the door will always be viewed as symbolic of the inside and outside, and what that means for the patient. Chapter Two is a fresh viewpoint to the autistoid personality organization, and the therapeutic encounter and treatment of such a character. Readers interested in how to manage difficult cases that concern this type of personality organization will find this chapter informative and educational. Chapter Three is an unusual topic and would appeal to all readers interested in this theme and its conceptualisation within Jungian psychotherapy. Chapter Four is an excellent read and gives the reader a chance to re-think issues about object, method and technique in psychoanalysis. Chapter Five is a worthwhile read and gives a new perspective on the psychology of the child and the process of therapeutically working with children in the context of being separate from, and yet a part of, the family dynamics. Chapter Six is valuable in that it brings into focus the processes of becoming a psychotherapist, and if it is agreed that psychotherapy is a relational practice, the story of becoming a psychotherapist becomes important. Chapter Seven will appeal to those readers who wish to understand that the art of psychotherapy is not always easy, straightforward and without disruptions. Chapter Eight is a comprehensive documentation of the case study of child sexual abuse and the therapeutic process with the child survivor. Readers interested in working with abused children will find this chapter fascinating and informative. Chapter Nine focuses on therapeutically treating sexually abused women, would appeal to readers who have had to encounter similar cases of gender-based violence in their therapy room, and gives a clear indication as to how this integrated model of therapy used can assist such traumatised people.

Art, Psychotherapy and Psychosis reveals the unique role of art therapy in the treatment of psychosis. Illustrating their contributions with clinical material and artwork created by clients, experienced practitioners describe their work in a variety of settings. Writing from different theoretical standpoints they reflect the current creative diversity within the profession and its links with psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, analytical psychology and psychiatry. In part I specific issues involved in working with psychosis are explored. These include discussion of the therapeutic relationship, the process of symbolisation, the nature and meaning of art made by psychotic patients and the interplay between words and pictures. Part II recounts the history of art therapy and psychosis, tracing its origins in art, to its present-day role as a respected treatment in psychiatric, community and therapeutic settings. Art, Psychotherapy and Psychosis extends the existing theory, develops analytical approaches in art psychotherapy and offers innovative perspectives for students and practitioners on the treatment of borderline states as well as psychosis.

Highly Commended, BMA Medical Book Awards 2013 Sensitively updated and revised for modern practice, Anthony Storr's legendary work continues to be an indispensible introductory text for aspiring psychotherapists. Professor Jeremy Holmes, a friend and colleague of Anthony Storr's and himself a leading psychotherapist, has updated this accessible and humane account of the practice of psychotherapy to include: Integrative psychotherapeutic approaches Revised classification of personality types New sections on selection and assessment Consideration of evidence-based psychodynamic practice Broadened appeal to the full range of mental health professionals Retaining Anthony Storr's wisdom, vision, and classic approach, whilst bringing the text totally up to date, this will be a cornerstone volume for beginner and experienced psychotherapists alike. It will also appeal to psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurses, social workers, counsellors, and other mental health professionals.