Essential Psychotherapies: Contemporary Theory and Practice

by Alan S. Gurman (Editor), Stanley B. Messer (Editor)

Comprehensive and user-friendly, this widely adopted text presents systematic expositions of the 12 most important forms of psychotherapy being practiced today. Covering traditional treatments as well as influential models that have been developed relatively recently, the volume gives students and practitioners a solid grasp of foundational theories and methods. Eminent authorities describe their respective models in unusually coherent chapters to facilitate easy comparison of basic theoretical and practical concerns. Each chapter also includes a detailed case illustration that brings key concepts to life.

Genres: Psychology, Social Work

580 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Aaron]

An overview of a dozen major styles of psychotherapy, comparing different aspects of each. The book is very academic and in general very dry. It's abstract and academic feel does not give a good feel for the style; even still, it gives a good overview of each style in technical terms.

I have the first edition text, which differs from the second in that it includes Gestalt therapy as an independent therapy. In the introduction to the second edition Messer explains that in the time since the first edition Gestalt therapy has waned and is hardly ever practiced as an independent therapy style; instead elements have been incorporated into other styles. Also other therapies have been added, including "Post-modern therapy," which I have never heard of as a therapy in any other text. Once again, I never read the second edition, but at first glance it seems the first edition is superior.

[s_evan]

Textbook for class.

+ Good break down of the various theroretical orientation.
+ Covered all the big ones

- Repeated itself WAAAAAY too much in each chapter. I suppose that got the point in, but repition is not a strong tool in my book.
- Not queer-friendly (I think they call it "gay affirming" at all, esp in the "marriage therapies" section - damn heterocentrics, when will you learn?!

Overall: I'd reccommend as a text book unless you have one that doesn't do the above (-) things, and use the above caveats.

[Tonya Vander]

This book enables a new therapist to gain insight into different theories and how to put them into practice by using easy to read language.