Inside Your Therapist's Mind: How A Therapist Thinks, And Why It Works

by Drew E. Permut

Psychotherapy is a treatment that most people know of, but few understand. This is because the inner workings of the therapy process are primarily discussed by professionals in scholarly journals and conferences. The general public is typically left out of the conversation. As a result, a treatment that has healed millions of patients remains shrouded in mystery and misconception. In this short volume, Dr. Drew Permut, a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of psychotherapy experience explains how the process works. Drawing on over a dozen case histories, he takes the reader into the mind of the therapist in the complex process of working with patients. He dispels the notion that therapy is about analyzing the patient in an objective fashion. Instead, he shows how intensive training teaches the therapist how to enter into the patient's actual subjective experience. The properly-trained therapist can both think and feel what the patient experiences. This awareness, combined with academic preparation, clinical experience, personal therapy, and intuitive talent then enables the psychotherapist to communicate with both the conscious and unconscious aspects of the the patient's mind. The result is an enormously powerful process that not only heals deep wounds, but transforms patients' lives.

Genres: Psychology

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2012

Reviews

[Haynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of the book is provided with the experiences Permut had with his patients. Two in-depth cases for each theme to study and compare with. From individuals to couple therapy; depression to addiction cases.
It’s a satisfying light read that gives you an idea how complex a therapy works and what the therapists thinking in mind.. why every cases are so unique/ taking so much or less sessions to heal, etc.

If you’re interested in therapy/ therapist, I recommend a further insightful reading, “The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients” by Irvin Yalom, a psychiatrist himself.

[Tina Wotherspoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really sensitive

Very informational for any thinking about or already cstarting into psychotherapy. It helps give the patient an informative look into the mind and thought processes of the therapist in an easy to understand manner. Grrst for anyone wondering what goes thru the mind of the therapist during sessions.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

very insightful

This was a rather quick read, insightful, informative and even a bit inspiring. I greatly appreciated the patient stories and the therapists perspective. Of course this isn’t an all encompassing “how do therapists be therapists”, but it gives a lot of insight into the process. I enjoyed this book a lot.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains so much!

This book answered my four biggest questions: Why psychotherapy takes years to benefit from it, why it costs so much, why psychotherapy is valuable, and the active role of a good therapist.

[Maria Carosella]

Interesting and engaging read.

Very well written and full of interesting information. Gives a very therough perspective of what it's like working as a psychotherapist
would definitely recommend to anyone looking into therapy, or those aspiring a career involving psychology.