Talk is Not Enough: How Psychotherapy Really Works

by Willard Gaylin

"Is psychotherapy really worth the time and money millions of
Americans put into it? Is a therapist any better at helping us deal with our problems than a good friend, bartender, spiritual counselor, or family member? What makes therapy special? How does it work when it works, and why does it sometimes fail?
In Talk Is Not Enough Willard Gaylin, M.D.,one of the nation's most honored psychiatrists, unlocks the mysteries of the so-called talking cure, which, despite its present-day popularity, is widely misunderstood and highly controversial. In an enlightening tour of the therapeutic process, Dr. Gaylin speaks plainly but profoundly about the art of therapy, what the roles of the patient and therapist should be, and what it takes on the part of each for the patient to get better. Along the way he addresses such important issues
Whom therapy can help and who won't benefit from it
Why the past really matters, and why therapists put such stock in childhood experiences
Why the therapist's personality is as important as his or her training and knowledge
Why therapy often seems endless
Why, in the end, talking and insight are not enough to change behavior
With psychotherapy under heavy assault from the drug enthusiasts and from managed care companies that will pay for only a limited number of sessions, Dr. Gaylin offers a wise and eloquent guide for those in therapy or contemplating it, as well as for those simply curious about what motivates people and what it takes to develop a sense of well-being and self-worth. Talk Is Not Enough is a fascinating glimpse into the labyrinthine complexity, the mystery, and the majesty of the human mind."

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Social Work, Psychiatry

Paperback

First published March 1, 2000

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An explanation of why psychologists do what they do in therapy and the personal experiences of Dr. Gaylin. If you like psychology then you might find this really interesting. I have a copy if you'd like to borrow it.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and accessible book that details the inner working of therapy from a primarily psychodynamic perspective. However, the author nicely balances many of the key ingredients to therapy common to all theoretical orientations. A great read for the providers and consumers of therapy.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely well-written look at the purpose and methods of psychotherapy for a layman audience. Those interested in psychoanalysis, pursuing a career in psychology proper, or even currently a patient would be well suggested to seek it out in order to better understand the mission of the psychoanalyst and the patient's place in the therapeutic relationship.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very intresting. I looked up this author and found he has writen a lot of books and papers. He has a nice style.

[Kristie Helms · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly straight-forward look at psychotherapy, but not particularly engaging. I find the books by Nancy McWilliams on the topic to be much more interesting.

[Nikki Cotton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in psychotherapy, this was informative and not as dry as many books on the same subject. :)

[Andria Smalz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of the components of psychodynamic -oriented psychotherapy, how it works, and why it may not help everyone.

[Josephine S · Rating 5 out of 5]

tl;dr I really really really liked this book. It was well-written and provided good coverage about modern psychodynamic therapy, better than any I’ve read so far. I’d recommend it for anyone who’s interested in practicing psychodynamic therapy or interested in how it works.

However. I read this both as a Psychology graduate and as a person in therapy. And I would recommend it for the former but not the latter. I’ll also recommend it to anyone who’s just curious about the thought processes of a psychodynamic therapist.

—

First, this isn’t an Intro to Psych textbook. It’s easy to read, and can be read by a beginner to Psychology, but is skewed to psychodynamic therapy, when the majority of therapists these days don’t practice psychodynamic therapy predominantly anymore. Other forms of therapy have become more popular, and regardless of my own opinions about that, it’s important to note that this book covers one specific type of therapy, instead of every type there is out there. So I need to add a disclaimer for non-psychologists that it’s not representative of many therapists out there.

Second, I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who’s undergoing and especially starting therapy himself or herself. I think it’d cause too much overthinking into what the therapist is trying to do; just let the therapist do what he/she does best and go with it. If you’ve got a good therapist, you don’t need to worry about how it works. Trust the therapist, and you’ll get there.

—

Now that I’ve covered the caveats, I must say that I loved this book. It paid tribute to the historical side of psychodynamic therapy (shoutout to Freud) while maintaining a modern stand on what it should look like in today’s day and age.

The book covered much ground, was well-written, easy-to-read, and just one of the best books I’ve read on psychodynamic therapy so far. It broke the entire process down into manageable sections, while touching on key debates such as whether a therapy room should include personal decorations or not.

A little preview, and a quote on that matter: “The idea of the therapist as a tabula rasa is ludicrous and unnecessary. First, a great deal of information is always readily at hand. The patient sees the therapist, identifies age, stature, gender, accent, body build, taste, dress, and on and on … Secondly, it is neither desirable nor, for that matter, necessary for the therapist to remain a blurred and enigmatic figure. Despite all of the apparent clues, the patient will still insist on seeing the therapist according to his own needs and lights. This is a demonstration of the power of transference.”

I quote this as a teaser—it is part of a larger discussion and the author has a more balanced view than this, but I wanted to show the types of issues he brings up in the book. With each issue, he presents the pros and cons and the thought processes that go behind the various segments of psychodynamic therapy. So yes, 10/10 would recommend for aspiring therapists, current practicing therapists, or people just curious about the practice in general. It’s not a difficult book to read, although do expect a book filled with theory.

[Ricardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

light and fluffy, not what i had in mind when i bought it. was hoping to read a book about psychotherapy that would help me understand what it's like to be a psychoanalyst, whereas I think this book is geared more toward helping people understand what it's like to be IN psychoanalysis. not sure i would recommend it to either audience.

[Armatstorage]

Read 134 pages. Is very good and helpful.