Bibliotherapy: Reading and Viewing Suggestions
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Books and Articles About Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Shedler, Jonathan, "That Was Then, This Is Now: An Introduction To Contemporary Psychodynamic Therapy" (a jargon-free explanation of the psychoanalytic approach that dispels many misconceptions)
Curtis, Hannah, Everyday Life And The Unconscious Mind: An Introduction To Psychoanalytic Concepts (an excellent and accessible explanation of key psychoanalytic concepts for the layperson, which includes many helpful examples)
Shedler, Jonathan, "The Efficacy Of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy," American Psychologist, 2010, 65:2, p. 98-109 (a review of the research supporting the effectiveness of the psychoanalytic approach and demonstrating that psychoanalytic psychotherapy is an evidence-based approach)
Rossner, Judith, August (a semi-autobiographical novel, centering on the author's own experience of intensive individual psychotherapy)
Other Books About Psychotherapy
Yalom, Irvin D., Creatures Of A Day And Other Tales Of Psychotherapy, 2015 (engaging reading)
Lerner, Harriet, Women in Therapy, 1994
TV Series That Depict Therapy Realistically
Couples Therapy, Showtime (a realistic and riveting portrayal of couple therapy from a psychoanalytic perspective)
In Treatment, HBO (patients and therapists are both fictional but the portrayal of psychoanalytic therapy with individuals and a few couples is fairly accurate; be aware that the therapist’s interactions with one of his female patients is ethically problematic)
Books about Couples
Luepnitz, Deborah, Schopenhauer’s Porcupines: Intimacy And Its Dilemmas, Five Stories Of Psychotherapy, 2003 (I cannot recommend this highly enough)
Scarf, Maggie, Intimate Partners: Patterns In Love And Marriage, NY: Random House, 1987 (written by a journalist who completed family therapy training at the Family Institute of Westchester in New York for research purposes; this is an exceptionally clear and theoretically sound presentation of several popular approaches to understanding families)
Wile, Daniel B., After The Honeymoon: How Conflict Can Improve Your Relationship, 2008 (most couples try to avoid conflict, and this author explains why that’s a mistake)
Wile, Daniel B., After the Fight: Using Your Disagreements To Strengthen Your Relationship (this book assists couples in understanding what a given fight was actually about: hint, it’s not the content)
Schnarch, David, Passionate Marriage: Sex, Love, And Intimacy In Emotionally Connected Relationships, 1998 (the author is an original thinker who skillfully blends concepts from Bowenian family therapy and traditional sex therapy: his style is difficult for some, but time spent on this book will be richly rewarded)
Book About Remarried Families
Scarf, Maggie, The Remarriage Blueprint: How Remarried Couples And Their Families Succeed Or Fail, 2013
Books About Families and Family Therapy
Lerner, Harriet, The Dance Of Anger: A Woman’s Guide To Changing The Patterns Of Intimate Relationships, 1985 (the author is skilled in explaining complex concepts and in providing many examples: appropriate for men also)
Lerner, Harriet, The Dance Of Intimacy: A Woman’s Guide To Courageous Acts Of Change In Key Relationships, 1990 (covers the same material as the previous book but with a slightly different emphasis)
Napier, Augustus Y., The Family Crucible: One Family's Therapy, NY: Bantam Books, 1978 (nonfiction, though it reads like a novel)
Scarf, Maggie, Intimate Worlds: Life Inside The Family, NY: Random House, 1995
Book About Addiction
Dodes, Lance, The Heart Of Addiction, NY: Harper, 2003 (a clear presentation of a controversial approach to addiction; this book is amply illustrated with case examples)
Book About Trauma
van der Kolk, Bessel, The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, And Body In The Healing Of Trauma, 2015 (a good overview of traumatic stress and treatment approaches, including EMDR, by an authority in the field)
Book About Depression
Styron, William, Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness (a personal account by a renowned author)
Books That Are Hard To Categorize
Viorst, Judith, Necessary Losses: The Loves, Illusions, Dependencies, And Impossible Expectations That All Of Us Have To Give Up In Order To Grow, 1986
Scarf, Maggie, Unfinished Business: Pressure Points In The Lives of Women, 1980
Scarf, Maggie, Secrets, Lies, Betrayals: The Body/Mind Connection, 2004