Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13392 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 332 pages

Review
"Becoming a Therapist is an exciting new text that has quickly made its way into the psychotherapy teaching curriculum for residents. The book provides practical advice and clinical case examples illustrating the evaluation of a patient, the first few sessions, managing common dilemmas in therapy, and so on. What makes this book unique is its combination of clear writing, the presentation of recognizable and concise case material, and commentary that further elaborates the concepts. Drs. Bender and Messner emphasize the strategies therapists use to make decisions and handle dilemmas, thus providing residents with both a thinking process and practical tools to help them negotiate the beginning practice of psychotherapy."--Everett Siegel, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

"As a practitioner and teacher of practice for a quarter-century, it is easy to forget the initial terror of beginning as a trainee. This thoughtful and thoroughly engrossing book helps novice psychotherapists understand not only what to say, but also the theoretical concepts that undergird the words. The authors comprehensively cover assessment; the beginning, middle, and end phases of therapy; and how to establish a therapeutic alliance, maintain a frame, and use transference and countertransference. All of these concepts are discussed in an experience-near voice that conveys empathy and respect for clients. The authors skillfully integrate such treatment techniques as exploration, confrontation, and interpretation. They also provide artful coverage of legal, medical, psychopharmacological, and substance abuse issues. This generous work interweaves the contributions of a beginning therapist with the wisdom of a very experienced one. Beginning practitioners and teachers of practice will find it an excellent text."--Joan Berzoff, MSW, EdD, Smith College School for Social Work

"This book is a breakthrough, a true gem. A wise, kind and pragmatic master teacher and his gifted student have collaborated to distill the fundamental lessons along the path in the education of a psychotherapist. Many years in the making, the book makes complex concepts feel alive, personal, and elegantly simple. It is a new and valuable tool not only for mental health clinicians, but for any caregiver (or patient!) who hopes to learn better how to listen, and hear."--John B. Herman, MD, Director of Clinical Services, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital

"This book is the result of a unique and creative collaboration between a young and insightful therapist who has been struggling with the complexity of psychotherapy, and a seasoned, well-reputed clinician who once served as her supervisor. Provided is a richly illustrated set of guidelines for better understanding and dealing with common dilemmas in therapy. For therapists in training, the book offers helpful strategies (and warns against less effective interventions) for handling nearly every kind of issue that arises between the first contact and termination. More experienced therapists will also benefit from the authors' clinical competence and wisdom, especially with regard to patients that are rarely mentioned in textbooks but who frequently show up at our office--those who, for example, arrive late to sessions, fail to pay their bills, or do not respond immediately to interventions. This noteworthy contribution will be of great interest to a wide range of clinicians."--Louis Castonguay, Ph.D, Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University


"....skillfully-written teaching text that guides novice psychotherapists in a step-by-step fashion through the process of psychotherapy....a straightforward, to-the-point text that provides concrete answers to the most pressing questions of novice psychotherapists....this book is a must-read for every novice psychotherapist, as well as for psychotherapy supervisors and instructors. Even experienced therapists would likely benefit from the examples discussed in this book as a 'refresher' for practical examples of techniques to apply in common clinical encounters. I applaud Drs. Bender and Messner for writing such a relevant, practical, and needed guide for novice therapists....Psychiatry residents, psychology students and interns, social workers, and clinical counselors could all benefit immensely from this well written text. Additionally, psychotherapy supervisors could use this text as a reference for trainees. I believe this text should become an integral part of, if not required reading for, the psychotherapy curriculum in psychiatry residency programs."--Journal of Psychiatric Practice

"...a practical, no-nonsense guide to the process of psychotherapy....This book is a valuable and refreshing resource for both novice therapists and their patients. Though the target audience for this text is psychotherapists in training, it also provides valuable insights for clinicians of all levels and for anyone who wants to take a peek at the inner workings of psychotherapy."--The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

"This book is a much-needed, timely contribution to the area of psychotherapy supervision....This book fills a gap in clinical training for psychotherapy, offering helpful strategies for handling many issues that arise. I recommend it for all psychiatric residents and for other students of mental health disciplines. It will also be useful to supervisors and more experienced practitioners who are interested in reflecting upon their approach and in carefully considering the therapeutic impact of the words they use....Reviewer Rating: Very Good"--The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

"Ideally, every director of a psychiatry training program should mail a copy of Becoming a Therapist to every accepted applicant who will shortly arrive to start his/her residency in psychiatry....Elegantly written in an exceptionally, well-organized, sensitive, lucid and intelligent manner, this book might herald promise of a refreshing new voice to enter the battle to resurrect psychotherapy to the forefront of psychiatric training....Becoming a Therapist deserves to be considered the trainee's classic text....this book is a marvel, a real long-term contribution for every enlightened psychiatric training program."--Southern California Psychiatrist

"...this book addresses many questions faced by a novice clinician, offers useful advice, and provides a good starting point on which a young therapist can begin his or her career. Becoming a Therapist would appeal to psychiatry residents, psychology interns, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. Nonprofessionals who are interested in learning the basic process of therapy would also find the book accessible because of its restrained use of technical terminology."--Psychiatric Services

"...an up-to-date, instructive, simple, easy-to-read text addressing all the basic technical aspects of psychotherapy is much needed. Drs. Bender and Messner decided to correct the lack of a good teaching text for the beginning therapist. Their 'team' combines a relative beginner, Dr. Bender, and a seasoned psychotherapy teacher and supervisor, Dr. Messner. Their book is conceptualized as a text which hopes to address many of the maladies of the previous roadbooks for beginning therapists. Its purpose is to teach the basic steps one needs to know fluently to practice psychotherapy. It is not a cookbook of what to say and when, but a guidebook to help the beginner understand and resolve common clinical dilemmas....This is a beautifully conceptualized and written book. It was carefully planned to cover all main practical issues in psychotherapy and it covers them. The book clearly fulfils its goals to teach the basic steps, the nuts and bolts, and to be a guidebook rather than a cookbook. It is wonderfully written, comprehensive, detailed, yet very practical and useful. The wealth and quality of therapist-patient dialogues is a great feature. I recommend this book to any beginning therapist, especially to psychiatric residents. I also recommend it to more experienced therapists to brush up on their therapeutic skills. All practicing clinicians could benefit from reviewing issues presented in this volume. I also suggest that this book become a required reading in residency training programs."--Annals of Clinical Psychiatry

Review
"...this book addresses many questions faced by a novice clinician, offers useful advice, and provides a good starting point on which a young therapist can begin his or her career. Becoming a Therapist would appeal to psychiatry residents, psychology interns, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. Nonprofessionals who are interested in learning the basic process of therapy would also find the book accessible because of its restrained use of technical terminology."--Psychiatric Services

"...an up-to-date, instructive, simple, easy-to-read text addressing all the basic technical aspects of psychotherapy is much needed. Drs. Bender and Messner decided to correct the lack of a good teaching text for the beginning therapist. Their 'team' combines a relative beginner, Dr. Bender, and a seasoned psychotherapy teacher and supervisor, Dr. Messner. Their book is conceptualized as a text which hopes to address many of the maladies of the previous roadbooks for beginning therapists. Its purpose is to teach the basic steps one needs to know fluently to practice psychotherapy. It is not a cookbook of what to say and when, but a guidebook to help the beginner understand and resolve common clinical dilemmas....This is a beautifully conceptualized and written book. It was carefully planned to cover all main practical issues in psychotherapy and it covers them. The book clearly fulfils its goals to teach the basic steps, the nuts and bolts, and to be a guidebook rather than a cookbook. It is wonderfully written, comprehensive, detailed, yet very practical and useful. The wealth and quality of therapist-patient dialogues is a great feature. I recommend this book to any beginning therapist, especially to psychiatric residents. I also recommend it to more experienced therapists to brush up on their therapeutic skills. All practicing clinicians could benefit from reviewing issues presented in this volume. I also suggest that this book become a required reading in residency training programs."--Annals of Clinical Psychiatry

Book Info
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Text provides students and clinicians with advice about the process of becoming a therapist. Chapters include summaries and suggestions for the practice, and examine stages in the therapeutic process. Topics include new contacts, setting appointments, setting patients at ease, and good therapist self-care.

Customer Reviews

Excellent book for those initial questions
I teach undergraduates and now graduate students thinking about or facing their first therapy challenges. This book is an excellent resource when you go into a session armed with your theory and have no idea how to even start the conversation or get it where you need to go. It gives practical advice, very simplistic conversations, that are very comforting in the beginning of doing therapy. As a first-year student four years ago, this book would've helped me tremendously, so Im glad I can now use it with those who come after me in classes.

GREAT gift for a new therapist.
I got this as a gift and I have to say I LOVED IT! Very helpful and a relief to have some advice.

Liked it!
I really liked this book. It's easy to read and really helpfull for a psychologist who is starting his or her career.