The 2nd Edition of Introduction to the Practice of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, the highly successful practice-oriented handbook designed to demystify psychoanalytic psychotherapy, is updated and revised to reflect the latest developments in the field. * Updated edition of an extremely successful textbook in its field, featuring numerous updates to reflect the latest research and evidence base * Demystifies the processes underpinning psychoanalytic psychotherapy, particularly the development of the analytic attitude guided by principles of clinical technique * Provides step-by-step guidance in key areas such as how to conduct assessments, how to formulate cases in psychodynamic terms and how to approach endings * The author is a leader in the field she is General Editor of the New Library of Psychoanalysis book series and a former editor of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

The aim of this book is primarily to highlight humour?s communicative, relational and innovative value in everyday life and in the privileged space, carved out of everyday life, that is psychotherapy. Chapter one describes philosophical, social and psychological perspectives on humour. In Chapters two and three humour is presented as a form of playing which originates in the earliest exchanges between mother and baby and which confers significant advantages on our adaption. In Chapter four the relationship between physical and mental health and humour is examined in the light of the research literature from psychology and medicine. Chapter five restricts itself to a discussion of psychoanalytic views on humour in psychotherapy. Finally, chapter six reviews evolutionary perspectives of humour.