"Provides a critical and historical introduction to the core themes and influential thinkers that helped to shape contemporary human science approaches to psychotherapy"--Provided by publisher.
"One of the most searching and thought-provoking discussions about human change processes I have read. The author writes from the perspective of a psychologist, psychotherapist, philosopher, and reseracher, but above all he writes as a perceptive and sensitive human being."--Hans Strupp, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University.
In this book is realized a brief presentation of the main orientations and features of the Humanistic Theory and Method in the major socio-human sciences, domains and practices. As construction, structure and content this book cumulates, incorporates, synthesizes and develops in a new, original and unitary work a number of the author’s previous works consecrated to the humanistic approach and method in some socio-human sciences and practices, especially in Psychology and Psychotherapy, Sociology, Social Work, Education and Management, published up to the end of 2012, both in print and electronic format. In the process of realization of this works, including of this book, was taken into consideration and was consulted the universal "social" and "therapeutic" literature of humanistic orientation, with the two main directions – existential/positive and spiritual/ontological/humanitarian, or the one that describes it or refers to it. Essentially, the Existential/Positive Orientations represent and approach, in theory or practice (therapy, education, social work etc.), the Person and Personality through traits (objectives) like high level of personal and social autonomy, free will and high capacity/ ability for self-determination, high level of personal development, high resilience, high capacity to control the emotions, high degree of awareness, self-knowledge, high self-esteem, high level of interpersonal development, adaptability, mature personality, activism and initiative, assertiveness, etc., while the Socio-Human (Micro-)Community is represented through features such as high autonomy, strong organizational culture, high socio-human functionality, high cohesion, unity, solidity, adaptability, resilience, resistance to crisis and challenges, good management, etc. The Ontological/Spiritual Approaches/Theories promote core concepts (and objectives of the intervention) such as spiritual-humane personality and humane/good community, spiritual-humane development of the person and humane-cultural development of the community. These paradigms highlight and promote Personality traits and qualities such as spirituality, virtue, humanness, altruism, empathy, love, faith, etc. Regarding the theoretical representation of the Community these approaches/theories highlight ideas and features as people-centered community, the dominance of the inter-personal relationships of attachment, love, respect, the dominance of the practices and customs of mutual helps, social/group/community solidarity, harmony, unity, inter-personal congruency, socio-human, inter-personal, community functionality, socio-human, moral and cultural integration/ cohesion. *** Regarding the destination of this paper, its design, content and bibliography are made in such a way to be useful both to the academic community, to students and teachers, and also to the professional community, to psychotherapists, educators, managers, social workers, artists, etc.
Introduction -- Clinical psychology : clinical evidence for a nonmedical model -- Attachment theory and social telationships research : the power of human connection and social interaction -- Neuroscience and evolutionary theory : how our brains are evolved to heal through social means -- Moral treatment : a historical example of healing through social means -- Summary of the model and implications for clinical research, training, and practice.
Psychotherapy, like most other areas of health care, is a synthesis of scientific technique and artistic expression. The practice, like any other, is grounded in a series of standardized principles, theories, and techniques. Individual practitioners define themselves within the field by using these basic tools to achieve their therapeutic goals in novel ways, applying these rudimentary skills and guiding principles to each situation. However, a toolbox full of treatment approaches, no matter how comprehensive, is not enough to effectively reach your patients. Effective work can only be accomplished through a synthesis of the fundamental scientific methods and the creative application of these techniques, approaches, and strategies. The Art and Science of Psychotherapy offers invaluable insight into the creative side of psychotherapy. The book addresses the fundamental split between researchers and scholars who use scientific methods to develop disorder-specific treatment techniques and those more clinically inclined therapists who emphasize the individual, interpersonal aspects of the therapeutic process. With contributions from leading therapists, the editors have compiled a practical handbook for clinical psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals.
"Showing how and why contemporary personality science matters in the clinical context, this book offers eminently practical tools for psychotherapists from any disciplinary background, and will also be of interest to personality and social psychologists. It is an ideal text for advanced undergraduate courses and for graduate seminars taught within clinical training programs."--BOOK JACKET.
This volume offers a psychology of human personality and behavior created as a function of the politics practiced by the social structure in which they are based. The interaction of individuals with authoritarian/totalitarian, democratic/humanistic and anarchistic forms of politics is examined. The focus is on the particular type of politics practiced by psychiatry, psychotherapy, and psychoanalysis, with the conclusion that these enterprises operate more along authoritarian/totalitarian than democratic/humanistic lines. Simon argues that the mental health field, as currently dominated by psychiatric thinking entrenched in the myths of mental illness, is acting as a social control agency and a force in the development of a totalitarian state. This volume aso offers a view of how psychotherapy can be used as a means to fuel democratic states for individuals. Other works that focus on the politics of psychiatric services have also emerged since Thomas Szasz' work, The Myth of Mental Illness, but this is the first to demonstrate the dangers of the psychiatry and therapy industries from this variety of political, religious, and scientific perspectives.
Individual Psychotherapy and the Science of Psychodynamics present an extensive examination of the basic principles of dynamic psychotherapy. It discusses the concept of constructive aggression. It addresses the analysis of expressive and defensive mechanisms. Some of the topics covered in the book are the therapeutic effects from history taking; common syndromes of sexual problems in women; qualities needed by a therapists; characteristics of unconscious communication; common syndromes of problems of masculinity in men; evolution and analysis of Oedipus complex; and Koch's postulates in psychodynamics. The passive defenses against aggression and the link with depression are fully covered. An in-depth account of the meaning of paranoid feelings is provided. The evaluation of the oedipal depression in men and women are completely presented. A chapter is devoted to the identification of transference neurosis. Another section focuses on the origin of human aggression. The analysis of phobic anxiety, anorexia nervosa, and hypochondriasis are briefly covered. The book can provide useful information to psychologists, therapists, students, and researchers.
Somatic psychology and bodymind therapy (the simultaneous study of the mind and body) are challenging contemporary understandings of the psyche, of what it means to be human and how to heal human suffering.