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Intensive Psychotherapy for Persistent Dissociative Processes: The Fear of Feeling Real
Winner of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation's (ISSTD) Pierre Janet Writing Award, 2015.
What really happens in dissociation. Dissociative processes have long burdened trauma survivors with the dilemma of longing to feel “real” at the same time as they desperately want to avoid the pain that comes with that healing―a dilemma that often presents particularly acute difficulties for healing professionals. Recent clinical and neurobiological research sheds some light into the dark corners of a mind undergoing persistent dissociation, but its integration into the practice of talking therapy has never, until now, been fully realized.
Intensive Psychotherapy for Persistent Dissociative Processes brings readers into the consultation room, and into the minds of both patient and therapist, like no other work on the treatment of trauma and dissociation. Richard A. Chefetz marries neuroscientific sophistication with a wealth of extended case histories, following patients over several years and offering several verbatim session transcripts. His unpacking of the emotionally impactful experience of psychodynamic talking therapy is masterfully written, clearly accessible, and singularly thorough.
From neurobiological foundations he builds a working understanding of dissociation and its clinical manifestations. Drawing on theories of self-states and their involvement in dissociative experiences, he demonstrates how to identify persistent dissociation and its related psychodynamic processes, including repetition compulsion and enactment. He then guides readers through the beginning stages of a treatment, with particular attention to the psychodynamics of emotion in both patient and therapist.
The second half of the book immerses readers in emotionally challenging clinical processes, offering insight into the neurobiology of fear and depersonalization, as well as case examples detailing struggles with histories of incest, sexual addiction, severe negativity, negative therapeutic reactions, enactment, and object-coercive doubting. The narrative style of Chefetz’s casework is nearly novelistic, bringing to life the clinical setting and the struggles in both patient and therapist. The only mystery in this clinical exposition, as it explores several cases over a number of years, is what will happen next.
In the depth of his examples and in continual, self-reflexive analysis of flaws in past treatments, Chefetz is both a generous guide and an expert storyteller. Intensive Psychotherapy for Persistent Dissociative Processes is unique in its ability to place readers in the consultation room of psychodynamic therapy. With an evidence-focused approach based in neurobiology and a bold clinical scope, it will be indispensible to new and experienced therapists alike as they grapple with the most intractable clinical obstacles.
What really happens in dissociation. Dissociative processes have long burdened trauma survivors with the dilemma of longing to feel “real” at the same time as they desperately want to avoid the pain that comes with that healing―a dilemma that often presents particularly acute difficulties for healing professionals. Recent clinical and neurobiological research sheds some light into the dark corners of a mind undergoing persistent dissociation, but its integration into the practice of talking therapy has never, until now, been fully realized.
Intensive Psychotherapy for Persistent Dissociative Processes brings readers into the consultation room, and into the minds of both patient and therapist, like no other work on the treatment of trauma and dissociation. Richard A. Chefetz marries neuroscientific sophistication with a wealth of extended case histories, following patients over several years and offering several verbatim session transcripts. His unpacking of the emotionally impactful experience of psychodynamic talking therapy is masterfully written, clearly accessible, and singularly thorough.
From neurobiological foundations he builds a working understanding of dissociation and its clinical manifestations. Drawing on theories of self-states and their involvement in dissociative experiences, he demonstrates how to identify persistent dissociation and its related psychodynamic processes, including repetition compulsion and enactment. He then guides readers through the beginning stages of a treatment, with particular attention to the psychodynamics of emotion in both patient and therapist.
The second half of the book immerses readers in emotionally challenging clinical processes, offering insight into the neurobiology of fear and depersonalization, as well as case examples detailing struggles with histories of incest, sexual addiction, severe negativity, negative therapeutic reactions, enactment, and object-coercive doubting. The narrative style of Chefetz’s casework is nearly novelistic, bringing to life the clinical setting and the struggles in both patient and therapist. The only mystery in this clinical exposition, as it explores several cases over a number of years, is what will happen next.
In the depth of his examples and in continual, self-reflexive analysis of flaws in past treatments, Chefetz is both a generous guide and an expert storyteller. Intensive Psychotherapy for Persistent Dissociative Processes is unique in its ability to place readers in the consultation room of psychodynamic therapy. With an evidence-focused approach based in neurobiology and a bold clinical scope, it will be indispensible to new and experienced therapists alike as they grapple with the most intractable clinical obstacles.
482 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2015
44 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 20, 2022
This is hands down my favorite textbook on dissociative disorders. It is also the only textbook on dissociation I know that is not "dumbed down" for those with these disorders yet acknowledges that they may be reading.
Deeply informative, Chefetz guides the reader through the core concepts and basic information regarding severe/chronic dissociation, all the way to more advanced theory and recent research as well as treatment strategies. The empathy he shows toward not only his own clients but toward the otherwise academic topics he talks about within the book is something that I appreciate deeply in comparison to the more typical disconnected voice of the average psychology textbook.
I could not recommend this more to any therapist or psychology student wanting to specialize in dissociative disorders and to those that have a dissociative disorder.
Deeply informative, Chefetz guides the reader through the core concepts and basic information regarding severe/chronic dissociation, all the way to more advanced theory and recent research as well as treatment strategies. The empathy he shows toward not only his own clients but toward the otherwise academic topics he talks about within the book is something that I appreciate deeply in comparison to the more typical disconnected voice of the average psychology textbook.
I could not recommend this more to any therapist or psychology student wanting to specialize in dissociative disorders and to those that have a dissociative disorder.
April 23, 2020
Very helpful and moving book
This book took me months to read through because of the difficult emotions it brought up. The amount of compassion and understanding the author showed through out, alongside the matter of fact statements made for a well rounded book.
It helped me tremendously in my own mental health journey. Worht nothing is that as a layperson, I did struggle with some of the language at time.
This book took me months to read through because of the difficult emotions it brought up. The amount of compassion and understanding the author showed through out, alongside the matter of fact statements made for a well rounded book.
It helped me tremendously in my own mental health journey. Worht nothing is that as a layperson, I did struggle with some of the language at time.
September 11, 2021
Very helpful in treating did
Helpful vignettes, and breaking down the neurology into somatic, cognitive and emotional centres
Will use in teaching to psychiatry registrars
Helpful vignettes, and breaking down the neurology into somatic, cognitive and emotional centres
Will use in teaching to psychiatry registrars
August 2, 2016
Just finished reading INTENSIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR PERSISTENT DISSOCIATIVE PROCESSES by Richard A. Chefetz. This is normally not a book I would read, but actually I needed to read it for my next young adult book project, which is about an adolescent girl with split/dissociate personality. This book is fascinating, since it is not just filled with facts and science, but it is extraordinarily anecdotal, so I really got to see her and meet the two (or more) sides of the same person. I also was able-through the power of very fine writing-to experience the pain for the patient and the challenge for the therapist to break through the barriers the individual has created to keep him or her safe. A must read if you want to learn about this disorder. This will truly help me write my next young adult novel.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews