B OOK R E V I E W S

AUTHOR’S PROOF
patients. Its success also infiltrated the the range of current psychotherapies A brief historical introduction allows
wider social context of the media and gen- through 18 chapters, including ones on some reference to be made to areas, such
eral public. psychotherapy with young people and the as person-centred psychotherapy, which
I believe that one of the rewarding as- elderly, it nearly always succeeds in are thereafter effectively ignored. While
pects of this book is that aside from its core delivering on the essentials. These are: the no book of this kind is likely to be comple-
content it covers aspects of the ongoing key principles of an approach; when it is tely comprehensive, three omissions were
struggles of the National Health service in likely to be used; and the extent to which noticeable given the likely needs of trainee
today’s political climate and the import- there is evidence for its effectiveness. A psychiatrists. First, although several im-
ance of solidarity. sense of consideration for the reader’s likely portant models of brief psychotherapy are
Having spent some time in a therapeu- needs informs the book so thoroughly that considered in some depth (based on the
tic community in Massachussetts, USA as it is surprisingly readable, with several work of Malan & Davanloo; Ryle & Hob-
a medical student on my elective, I was chapters likely to become recommended son), the one that is now the most widely
drawn by the parallels of my own experi- introductions for a given approach. The used, Klerman’s interpersonal psychother-
ences. I became quite involved in the var- book’s value is augmented by summary lists apy, is not. Second, supportive psycho-
ious dilemmas and debates that the book of key readings, where most contributors therapy (the darling of many MRCPsych
threw into question. are commendably objective in their examination essays) retains a chapter, but
This book is a light and easy read. selections. in it, as elsewhere, the newcomer to the
Although it may not be seen as a core text field is given no guidance on what the term
in terms of psychiatric training pro- counselling means, or on how it might dif-
grammes, I would recommend it as an in- fer from psychotherapy. Third, one appar-
teresting and controversial read, for both ent consequence of the prioritisation of
mental health professionals and a wider general principles here is a failure to illus-
audience. trate psychotherapy when practised other
than in out-patient settings. (The chapters
Marianna Leontis Enfield TownTeam CMHT,
on behavioural therapy and psychotherapy
59^60 Silver Street, Enfield EN1 3EP,UK.
for older people are exceptions here, but
[email protected]
Email: marianna.leontis@
one on ‘family therapy in the adult psychi-
doi: 10.1192/bjp.191.1.88a
atric setting’ is misleadingly titled. More-
over, there is no acknowledgment at all of
the role of specialist hospitals or therapeu-
An Introduction to the
tic communities.) These caveats aside, I re-
Psychotherapies (4th edn)
commend trainee psychiatrists have access
Edited by Sidney Bloch.Oxford University to a copy of this reliable compendium
Press. 20 06. 464pp.
4 64pp. » 24.95 (pb). throughout the early years of training.
ISBN 0198520921

Although this book is nearly 30 years old, I Chris Mace St Michael’s Hospital,Warwick
had never seen it before. First impressions [email protected]
CV34 5QW,UK. Email: c.mace@
are favourable. A multi-author guide to doi: 10.1192/bjp.191.1.89

89

https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.191.1.89 Published online by Cambridge University Press