Stratégies de la psychothérapie

by Jay Haley

La réédition de cet ouvrage théorique et technique, paru en 1963, est une chance pour tous ceux qui s'intéressent à la psychothérapie et à la communication. En effet, il s'agit là de la première contribution, révolutionnaire à l'époque, de Jay Haley, pionnier des thérapies systémiques brèves et familiales dont il a développé le courant stratégique. Jay Haley n'était ni psychiatre, ni psychanalyste, ni psychologue. C'était un praticien de la communication. Plus qu'aucun autre avant lui, il a utilisé les enseignements de cette approche pour rechercher un facteur commun aux différentes méthodes de psychothérapie ainsi que pour imaginer des interventions thérapeutiques efficaces. Il s'est particulièrement intéressé au besoin d'un abord pragmatique des problèmes affectifs et à celui d'un système descriptif qui prenne en considération tous les tiers impliqués, directement ou indirectement, dans le système pathologique.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

328 pages, Pocket Book

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Rodrigo Gonçalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this very interesting (but extremely dense) book the author takes us by the realm of modern psychotherapy techniques approached by the lenses of the patient/therapist relationship and enhancing the therapeutic paradox as a tool to bring cure.

From the book I got a few refreshing concept as looking to relationships as sequences of messages exchanged by both parties in the attempt to (re)define the relationship, the types of relationship (symmetric, complementary and meta-complementary), the power dynamics in a relationship and how both parties constantly fight for it and the role of resistance to change in the human relationships.

[Robert Bor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is one of the weirdest books I have read in quite some time. It goes to show how psychotherapy is regarded more as a battle of wills, than as a relation where all parties are willing participants. Some strategies described in here come across as somewhat immoral, though I cannot comment on the effectiveness as I am not a therapist. Might it be so that control is a requirement for healing?

[Nuno Carrilho · Rating 3 out of 5]

A change to a inter-psychic way of seing humans, into a relation analysis - observational one.

Paradoxes as the commom principles of all therapies, that is why they work, this is the main thesis of Jay Haley, connected to the Palo Alto Sistemic School

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not just for psychologists. It has many insights on how to deal with difficult -symptomatic- people. The Epilogue is a masterpiece of itself.