Psychodynamic Theory for Clinicians (Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice Series)

PsycCRITIQUES, Volume 51, Issue 15 -- "Psychodynamic Theory for Clinicians, the first volume in the series Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice, is an ambitious work. Beginning with the theories of Freud and the origins of psychoanalysis, David Bienenfeld cogently summarizes the development of theoretical contributions over the last century. Included are the Freudian dissidents, Carl Jung and Alfred Adler, and then the theories of ego psychology, interpersonal, object relations, and self psychology. The reader is given an overview of psychodynamic theories that is concise, cogent, and almost encyclopedic. The two chapters on treatment arising from each position are succinct and show how the understanding of a patient's problems affects the therapeutic relationship. The change in the role of the therapist is well portrayed, beginning with the therapist as providing a blank screen for the client's free association to the therapist's empathic interactions and interpretations of transference. This book is overdue. Bienenfeld's elucidation of psychodynamic theories is a significant and much needed contribution. He claims the book is deliberately introductory. This modest statement conceals the fact that he has given the student, the supervisor or instructor, and the professional a cogent summary and comparison of psychodynamic theories. This effort should facilitate an integration of theories, if indeed that is desirable."