Vaughan, Susan C., M.D. Many therapists and their patients find that the traditional talking therapy still offers the best hope for long-term relief from depression and other psychological ailments. This is especially true for people who worry about the side effects of Prozac and other similar drugs. Now Dr. Susan Vaughan offers compelling evidence, based on new scientific research, that the process of talking with a trained therapist actually alters the way the brain's neurons are connected and effects permanent, positive changes in how we interact with the world. Dr. Vaughan interweaves stories from therapy sessions with cutting-edge research results. She shows how interpreting dreams, free-associating, and attention to childhood experiences have an impact on the structure of our brain. Anyone who, for one reason or another, questions the value of long-term drug therapy will welcome the alternative approach presented here.

An in-depth look at a much misunderstood practice, offering a fresh viewpoint on how this science can be a universally effective route to our better selves.

This beautifully-written book uniquely shows how underlying socio-cultural constructs support and inform the way therapy is provided across a wide variety of cultures and eras. Ideal as a supplement to typical theories of counseling and psychotherapy books as well as to traditional history of psychology books, Talking Cures ultimately helps students and practicing therapists understand the strength of all psychotherapies in terms of their power to help clients become more free through the process of achieving a clear understanding of both one's self and one's world. Emphasizing the historical, philosophical, gender, and cultural foundations of psychotherapy, Bankart examines how and why therapists of different persuasions operate as they do.

Family therapist Terence Campbell provides a much needed critique of our therapy-happy society. He warns of the dangers that await the unwary, vulnerable client seeking answers for normal life problems. All too often, psychotherapy creates more harm than healing. Without condemning ALL therapy, Campbell takes a hard look at the destructive form psychotherapy has taken for many of its practitioners. In many cases, therapists encourage a sick, dependent relationship in which the client invests undue authority in the supposedly all-wise psychologist. "Many therapists act as if their charisma, & only their charisma, can alleviate a client's distress," Campbell writes. Millions of people are in "therapy" at any given time, at a cost of billions of dollars. The widespread result is not only a gigantic waste of money & time, but the actual loss of mental health & normal functioning, as clients are encouraged to see themselves as terribly traumatized & damaged. Among other things Campbell reveals how: * The majority of therapists routinely ignore scientific research in their field, & instead rely on what they "believe" is effective treatment. * Many therapists purposely alienate clients from close relationships & family while encouraging a greater dependence on the therapist. Beware the Talking Cure is timely & disturbing. Through compelling case histories, Dr. Campbell hammers home his points.

From a seasoned scholar, clinician, and teacher, this lively, highly readable text probes where the field of psychotherapy is now and where it may be headed in the future. Robert L. Woolfolk explores commonalities and differences among major therapeutic approaches, as well as their philosophical underpinnings. He critiques the growing medicalization of mental health care--in particular, the attempt to fit psychotherapy to the templates of evidence-based medicine. Students gain an appreciation of the enduring value of "the talking cure" for addressing perennial questions: “Who am I?” “What can I become?” “What kind of life is worth having, and how can I achieve it?” The book makes a strong case for the benefits of psychotherapy not only as a method for treating disorders, but also as a practice that can promote practical wisdom and human flourishing.

'Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.' Carl Jung The essence of successful therapy is the relationship, a dance of growing trust and understanding between the therapist and the patient. It is an intimate, messy, often surprising and sometimes confusing business - but when it works, it's life-changing. Gill Straker and Jacqui Winship, two esteemed Sydney-based psychotherapists, bring us nine inspiring stories of transformation. They introduce us to their clients, fictional amalgams of real-life cases, and reveal how the art of talking and listening helps us understand deep-seated issues that profoundly influence who we are in the world and how we see ourselves in relation to others. We come to understand that the transformative power of the therapeutic relationship can be replicated in our everyday lives by the simple practice of paying attention and being present with those we love. Whether you have experienced therapy (or are tempted to try it), or you are just intrigued by the possibilities of a little-understood but transformative process, this wise and compassionate book will deepen your understanding of what it is to be open to connection - and your appreciation that to be human is to be a little bit mad.

"The Jealousy Cure unlocks the positive power of jealousy for happy relationships." —Foreword Reviews "Solid counsel for those whose relationships are plagued by jealousy and the individuals it targets." —Library Journal starred review​ Could jealousy be a positive thing? In this groundbreaking book, Robert L. Leahy—author of the hugely popular self-help guide, The Worry Cure—invites you to gain a greater understanding of your jealous feelings, keep jealousy from hijacking your life, and create healthier relationships. We’ve all heard tales of the overly jealous spouse or significant other. Maybe we’ve even been that jealous person, though we may not want to admit it. It’s hard to imagine anyone sailing through life without either having feelings of jealousy or being the target of someone’s jealousy. But what if jealousy isn’t just a neurotic weakness? What if it signals that your relationship matters to you? In short—what if jealousy serves a purpose? In The Jealousy Cure, renowned psychologist Robert L. Leahy takes a more nuanced approach to tackling feelings of jealousy. In this compelling book, you’ll uncover the evolutionary origins of jealousy, and how and why it’s served to help us as a species. You’ll also learn practices based in emotional schema theory, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness to help you overcome the shame jealousy can bring, improve communication with your partner, and ultimately make room for jealousy while also making your relationship more meaningful. You will learn that confronting jealousy in your relationship does not have to be a catastrophe, but can redirect you and your partner to build more trust, acceptance, and connection. We often feel jealous because we fear losing the things or people that matter to us the most. With this insightful guide, you’ll discover how jealousy can both help and hurt your relationship, and learn proven-effective skills to keep jealousy in its place. This book has been selected as an Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Book Recommendation— an honor bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

It is a troubling time to be a therapist. Despite decades of powerful evidence that psychotherapy works, and tremendous advances in both policy and technology making therapy available to more of those who need it, the number of people actually going to therapy is flat or even declining. While training to be a therapist continues to get more expensive, therapists' salaries aren't even keeping up with inflation.Saving Psychotherapy addresses some of the troubling realities behind these truths. There is strong data to suggest:- The field avoids claiming meaningful values, leaving clients uncertain about the kind of guidance and support - if any - they will receive- The modern training process for therapists rewards wealth much more than merit- Many therapists express an open hostility to science and knowledge, even when it supports our work- There is little accountability for therapists to ever prove that they know what they're doing- Therapists are generally uninvolved in public debate, freely giving up their roles as society's experts on mental health and positive changePsychotherapy deserves a brighter future than the one we're on track for. And the first step toward getting that brighter future is for individual therapists at all career levels to take personal responsibility for it. In this data-driven, unflinching, and relentlessly optimistic look at the state of psychotherapy today, you will learn simple steps any therapist can take to make your practice more reputable and successful -- while improving the health and reputation of the entire field.

In the last 15 years there has been a change in direction in our understanding of Wittgenstein; the 'resolute' reading of him places great emphasis on his therapeutic intent and argues that the aim of Wittgenstein's thought is to show how language functions. This book argues that this is highly relevant to understanding psychotherapy.