Truth, Trust And Relationships: Healing Interventions In Contextual Therapy

by Barbara Krasner, Austin J. Joyce

A milestone in the continuing evolution of contextual therapy, this insightful volume rests firmly on Martin Buber's philosophy of the word (speech with meaning), and on the contributions of Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy. Truth, Trust, and Relationships identifies direct address, a dialogic way of address and response as the fundamental means of healing in relationships, especially in the family. The authors see "residual trust" (the summation of an invisible if ever present ledger sheet that records the merit among people) as the keystone of the dialogic process, and the chief resource of human relationships. The elemental triad of mother, father, and child is central to their version of contextual therapy. They distinguish between resentment and guilt feelings on a psychological level and the fairness, owed and deserved, at the level of merited trust. Interwoven throughout Truth, Trust, and Relationships is a rich abundance of verbatim cases that serve to clarify and bring to life the complex - but fascinating - concepts of Krasner and Joyce's contextual therapy. The volume will serve as an inspiring and effective clinical text for mental health professionals working with families, couples, and individuals, as well as educators, lawyers, court personnel, physicians, nurses, and hospital personnel - in short, any helping professional who wrestles with the complexities of human relationships in our time.

260 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1995

Reviews

[Bethany Womack]

Recommended by Dr. James Sells fall 2012