Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide

Building on the enormous popularity of her two previous texts on diagnosis and case formulation, this important work from Nancy McWilliams completes the trilogy by addressing in detail the art and science of psychodynamic treatment.

McWilliams distills the essential principles of clinical practice, including effective listening and talking; transference and countertransference; emotional safety; and an empathic, attuned attitude toward the patient. The author describes the values, assumptions, and clinical and research findings that guide the psychoanalytic enterprise, and shows how to integrate elements of other theoretical perspectives when necessary. She also discusses the phases of treatment and covers such neglected topics as educating the client about the therapeutic process, handling complex challenges to boundaries, and attending to self-care. Presenting complex clinical information in personal, nontechnical language enriched by in-depth clinical vignettes, this is an essential psychoanalytic work and training text for therapists.

Table of Contents

1. What Defines a Psychoanalytic Therapy?
2. The Psychoanalytic Sensibility
3. The Therapist's Preparation
4. Preparing the Client
5. Boundaries I: The Frame
6. Basic Therapy Processes
7. Boundaries II: Quandaries
8. Molly
9. Donna
10. Ancillary Lessons of Psychoanalytic Therapy
11. Occupational Hazards and Gratifications
12. Self-Care

Appendix: Annotated Bibliography