Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Technique is a revised edition of the popular technical guide to the conduct of psychodynamic psychotherapy written by Sarah Fels Usher, published in 1993. In her thoroughly updated book, the author takes the student from the very beginning through to the end of the processes involved in using psychodynamic psychotherapy as a method of understanding and treating patients. Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Technique offers explanations of how psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory underwrites the technique, and demonstrates how the technique follows from the theory in a clear and accessible style. Each chapter is organized around the psychoanalytic concepts of transference and counter-transference, demonstrating how these concepts bring the work together. New material includes a chapter devoted to working with patients' defenses, an in- depth look at the emotions on both sides during termination, and a chapter on the experience of supervision, all accompanied by lively clinical examples. The book is unique in that it is written from the point of view of the student, highlighting the difficulties they may encounter in practice and offering concrete suggestions for technique. Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Technique will be of interest to psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, psychiatric residents, graduate psychotherapy students and social work students.

What is This Thing Called Love? provides a clear how-to guide for carrying out psychotherapy with couples from a psychoanalytic perspective. The book draws on both early and contemporary psychoanalytic knowledge, explaining how each theory described is useful in formulating couple dynamics and in working with them. The result is an extremely practical approach, with detailed step-by-step instructions on technique, illuminated throughout by vivid case studies. The book focuses on several key areas including: An initial discussion about theories of love. Progression of therapy from beginning to termination. Transference and countertransference and their unique manifestations in couples therapy. Comparisons between couples therapy and individual therapy. Step-by-step instruction on technique. What is This Thing Called Love? is enlivened with humour and humanness. It is crucial reading for psychoanalytic therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, couples therapists and students who want to learn about--or augment their skills in--this challenging modality.

Separation-Individuation Struggles in Adult life: Leaving Home focuses on the developmental task of separating from parents and siblings for individuals and couples who have not been able to resolve these issues earlier in life. Sarah Fels Usher extends Mahler's theory, and includes the writing of Loewald and Modell, among others, stressing the right of adult patients to a separate life. She describes the predicament of Oedipal victors (or victims), their introjected feelings of responsibility for their parents, and their resultant inability to be truly individuated adults. Difficulties separating from siblings are also given analytic attention. Usher's experience treating couples adds a new and powerful dimension to her theory. She is optimistic throughout about the therapist's ability to help adult patients resolve the rapprochement sub-phase in a satisfying manner. An additional, crucial question is raised when the author asks if the therapist can allow the patient to terminate treatment. Has the therapist achieved separation from their own parents-or, indeed, from their analyst? Exploring the plight of patients of the unseparated analyst, Usher describes how these generational factors rear their unfortunate heads when it is time to end therapy. Listening to patients from the perspective of separation-individuation is not new; what is new is Usher's emphasis on how these particular issues are often masked by significant achievement in adult professional life. Separation-Individuation Struggles in Adult Life: Leaving Home will be of great importance for psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists working with adults, as well as for clinical postgraduate students.

Separation-Individuation Struggles in Adult life: Leaving Home focuses on the developmental task of separating from parents and siblings for individuals and couples who have not been able to resolve these issues earlier in life. Sarah Fels Usher extends Mahler's theory, and includes the writing of Loewald and Modell, among others, stressing the right of adult patients to a separate life. She describes the predicament of Oedipal victors (or victims), their introjected feelings of responsibility for their parents, and their resultant inability to be truly individuated adults. Difficulties separating from siblings are also given analytic attention. Usher's experience treating couples adds a new and powerful dimension to her theory. She is optimistic throughout about the therapist's ability to help adult patients resolve the rapprochement sub-phase in a satisfying manner. An additional, crucial question is raised when the author asks if the therapist can allow the patient to terminate treatment. Has the therapist achieved separation from their own parents-or, indeed, from their analyst? Exploring the plight of patients of the unseparated analyst, Usher describes how these generational factors rear their unfortunate heads when it is time to end therapy. Listening to patients from the perspective of separation-individuation is not new; what is new is Usher's emphasis on how these particular issues are often masked by significant achievement in adult professional life. Separation-Individuation Struggles in Adult Life: Leaving Home will be of great importance for psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists working with adults, as well as for clinical postgraduate students.

Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Technique is a revised edition of the popular technical guide to the conduct of psychodynamic psychotherapy written by Sarah Fels Usher, published in 1993. In her thoroughly updated book, the author takes the student from the very beginning through to the end of the processes involved in using psychodynamic psychotherapy as a method of understanding and treating patients. Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Technique offers explanations of how psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory underwrites the technique, and demonstrates how the technique follows from the theory in a clear and accessible style. Each chapter is organized around the psychoanalytic concepts of transference and counter-transference, demonstrating how these concepts bring the work together. New material includes a chapter devoted to working with patients' defenses, an in-depth look at the emotions on both sides during termination, and a chapter on the experience of supervision, all accompanied by lively clinical examples. The book is unique in that it is written from the point of view of the student, highlighting the difficulties they may encounter in practice and offering concrete suggestions for technique. Introduction to Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Technique will be of interest to psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, psychiatric residents, graduate psychotherapy students and social work students.