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The Pocket Guide to Neuroscience for Clinicians

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Louis Cozolino helps clinicians to broaden their thinking and deepen their clinical toolbox through an understanding of neuroscience, brain development, epigenetics, and the role of attachment in brain development and behavior.


The effective therapist must have knowledge of evolution and neuroanatomy, as well as the systems of our brains and how they work together to give rise to who we are, how we thrive, and why we suffer. This book will give clinicians all they need to understand the social brain, the developing brain, the executive brain, consciousness, attachment, trauma, memory, and the latest information about clinical assessment. Key figures and terms of neuroscience, along with numerous case examples, bring the material to life.


Cozolino is one of the most gifted clinical writers on neuroscience, and his long- awaited pocket guide is a must- buy for any clinician working on the cutting edge of treatment.



336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

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Louis Cozolino

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Morgan Blackledge.
828 reviews2,704 followers
November 16, 2022
I have been on an interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) bender lately. The doctoral research I’m currently finishing (on complex trauma and addiction), and the work I am doing in my therapy practice (I specialize in treating complex PTSD and substance use disorder) has progressively re-oriented me (nudge by nudge, step by step, day after week after year, after decade) toward a more long term, relational psychoanalytic approach.

I have a (preexisting) strong interest in affective, cognitive and developmental neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, attachment theory (I developed and taught undergraduate classes in all of that stuff). I’m also trained and experienced (and more than a little interested) in acceptance commitment therpay (ACT) dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), internal family systems (IFS), Bowen family systems therapy (BFST), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

For most of my career, all of that (evo-devo neuroscience, attachment, systemic, and mindfulness based behavioral oriented, trauma focused and addiction relevant) stuff was hard to integrate with the psychoanalytic approach.

This is where the IPNB literature has been SUPER HELPFUL.

IPNB does integrate neuroscience and relational psychodynamic theory and practice.

And I LOVE THAT 🥰

Anyway….

I was initially introduced to IPNB through Daniel Siegel.

He is (of course) all over the neuroscience, mindfulness and attachement pieces. But is not overtly and specifically vocal about the psychoanalytic approach. At least not that I am aware of. He probably is IRL and keeps it on the down low.

But I digress…

I started reading Siegel’s IPNB colleague Allan Schore this year (after years of well intended procrastination), and WOW. Schore’s work REALLY connects the (afore mentioned) dots. In a way that is revelatory (and expressly validating) for me. If you haven’t read Allan Schore yet. Do so. Start with Right Brain Psychotherapy (Schore 2019).

I have also been on a Louis Cozolino bender lately. He’s the third founding member of the IPNB orientation. I have to admit. I initially found his work to be useful, but somewhat dorky and lightweight.


I read a bunch of his other books.

This one is my favorite so far.

The Pocket Guide to Neuroscience for Clinicians is a somewhat deceptive title. It implies that the book is better suited as a concise resource manual that as a cover to cover read.

I read it cover to cover, and it was a great read.

I might go out on a limb here and say, it’s one of the best single volume psychology resources I can cite.

It kind of covers everything with covering.

I particularly appreciate the was Cozolino writes about core shame (meaning a deep sense of shame, stemming from childhood abuse or neglect, that becomes interwoven with our sense of self.

So much more to say.

Better to just get it and read it.

5 STARS ✨
Profile Image for David.
783 reviews15 followers
January 2, 2021
A really good reference guide from a multidisciplinary perspective.

My only concern is that Louis promotes the debunked triune brain model which makes me wonder what else in the book is not current science.
Profile Image for Olga.
74 reviews17 followers
January 21, 2024
Este es el segundo libro que leo de este autor. El otro fue "Why therapy works". Lo que me gusta de este autor es que analiza el proceso terapéutico de una forma "meta" y agnóstico a la corriente terapéutica. Como que trata de conectar lo que es común a todos los procesos terapéuticos no importando si la terapia es psicodinámica, cognitivo-conductual o sistémica-familar. Celebro que el autor se sale de la lógica sectaria que prevalece tanto en psicología y conectándolo con la neurociencia. Si a la psicología le falta más este análisis "meta" para combatir sectarismo y ver las corrientes y técnicas como parte de una caja de herramientas que están a disposición de los clientes, siento que a la neurociencia le hace falta mucha filosofía de la ciencia. En términos de neurociencia, el libro tiene datos que son precisos y bastante relevantes pero también tiene algo de reduccionismo. Nada grave y molesto, y por eso lo califico bastante alto.

Nota: En el libro dice varias veces que bajos niveles de serotonina causan depresión. Esto no ha sido probado y hay bastante evidencia. Dejo aquí un link con un resumen de la evidencia hasta ahora: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5cT-...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

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