Beginnings

by Mary Jo Peebles-Kleiger

How does the therapist begin psychotherapy? How, that is, does she conceptualize the needs of the patient while simultaneously enlisting him or her as an active partner in formulating an individualized working plan? And how should supervisors teach the skills needed to make the intake procedure truly the beginning of treatment? In Beginnings: The Art and Science of Planning Psychotherapy Mary Jo Peebles-Kleiger tackles these and other questions in an authoritative manner that draws on the cumulative experience of the outpatient department of the Menninger Psychiatric Clinic.

Peebles-Kleiger's elegant synoptic discussions of the major categories of psychological dysfunction and the different treatment strategies appropriate to them are carefully calibrated, with actual examples, to the limits and opportunities of the first sessions. Of particular value is her unusual capacity to articulate patients' various difficulties in forming and maintaining an alliance, and then to show how such difficulties feed back into the clinician's interventions in the first few sessions. In this manner, she illustrates how potential treatment obstacles-- difficulties in affect regulation, in reality testing, in conscience formation, among others--can be assessed and subjected to trial interventions from the very start.

Skilled in various psychodynamic and behavioral approaches, from psychoanalysis to hypnotherapy, Peebles-Kleiger consistently advances an integrative approach that cuts across specific modalities and combines sophisticated psychodynamic understanding with the fruits of empirical research. Both primer and sourcebook, Beginnings: The Art and Science of Planning Psychotherapy fills a niche in the literature so admirably that clinicians will find it indispensible in planning humanely responsive treatment in an increasingly complex therapeutic world.

Genres: Psychology, Social Work

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1987

Reviews

[Hanan AL-Raddadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a month to finish this book. I couldn’t read it fast because every line was written to promote thinking and reflecting on why this particular idea(whichever the chapter happens to be discussing)is very important in planning psychotherapy and how things could go wrong. The book has 27 chapters, each consists of approximately 10-15 pages and can be read separately if preferred. My favorite is chapter 22 because it discusses the functions served by the patient’s symptoms, or what is the patient gaining by his suffering that he can’t get any other way. I love it because it’s titled “ respecting the psychological costs of change” and because it was arranged before talking about modalities. But I loved it most because it was written with a humble tone and not disrespectful and judging like most books are. Peebles’s book is without doubt a classic book, one that is meant to be read and reread forever.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've ever read for grad school. In fact, I'll probably re-read it over and over again when I'm DONE with school because it's very useful! The only time I really feel inspired to want to do therapy is when I'm reading this book. The only problem is how frustrated I get thinking of how many years it would take to become as great of a therapist as the author.

[David Rope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Expertly crafted account breaking down the art and science of psychotherapy. Emphasizes understanding the patient and comprehensively mapping a treatment plan. Deemphasizes but incorporates major modalities of therapeutic techniques. Offers practical patient examples which clarify concepts. Highly recommend as an overview to understanding psychotherapy.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just good common sense.

[Emily St. Amant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t say this lightly, but I highly recommend this for all therapists, new and experienced alike. I read the first version in grad school ~16 years ago and finally got to the updated second version. I worked my way slowly through this over several months, to avoid just plowing through it, in hopes I’d get more out of it. This may be a lot of stuff I “already knew,” however, learning is life-long, and it’s important to revisit the fundamentals no matter how much experience one has in their field.

[Nicki Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

good. there are lots of good examples on how to and where to go with a client when certain questions come up, etc. glad i read it, good reference.