Understanding Psychotherapy: The Science Behind The Art

by Michael Franz Basch, Carol G. Basch

Using human, compelling cases that bring the process of psychotherapy alive, a gifted psychiatrist shows what psychotherapy is and how and why it works.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Zachary Bean]

Good read. Still a little complicated in explaining Oedipal complex and personality structure. Talks a lot about integrating theory without spending much time explaining the basis and utilizing case examples to demonstrate them further.

[Esmael]

Although it was written in 80s, it's a great book as Basch shares a quarter century of his experience in psychotherapy to bring some valuable insight into the art and science of therapy. The case vignettes are also helpful, bridging the theory and practice.

[Tony]

核心其实是基于Kohut的selfobject理论，讨论affect问题。案例分析比较详细，相当有趣。

另外，该书试图建立一个基于科学框架的类似计算机的心理模型，一个决策和反馈系统，该模型以self-esteem and competence作为每个个体试图达到的目标。这个模型其实是来自Adler的，过于简单了。

[Theresa Kuhl-Babcock]

As a practicing master's level psychologist I still like to read foundational psychologist work. Learning to be Jedi night... through psychotherapy. Facsinating.

[Christie]

This is a scholarly work on psychotherapy. It is interesting but required me to check the APA website quite a few times in order to review definitions of many of the professional terms used in the book. I enjoyed Michael Basch's manner of writing and the way he used his professional experiences to explain how psychotherapy is used. He dispelled the cultural myths of the psychiatrist and patient relationships.

Basch explained many of the terms that Freud first used. Oedipal Complex and penis envy are two that are very misunderstood by lay people. He also explains how the cognitive development of some people can be arrested in such a way that it affects how they function as adults or how they may compensate for a lack in one area of development yet be successful functioning adults.

I did enjoy reading this text although it required mental work. I do wish I had not let it lay unread for such large gaps of time because I did need to reread many parts. Also, I wish that I had kept notes while reading it.