Handbook of Dynamic Psychotherapy for Higher Level Personality Pathology - Hardcover

Eve Caligor; Otto F. Kernberg; John F. Clarkin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1585622125 ISBN 13: 9781585622122

Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2007

Synopsis

This book provides an approach to understanding and treating higher level personality pathology. It describes a specific form of treatment called "dynamic psychotherapy for higher level personality pathology" (DPHP), which was designed specifically to treat the rigidity that characterizes that condition. Handbook of Dynamic Psychotherapy for Higher Level Personality Pathology provides a hands-on approach to a treatment method that offers a broad range of patients the opportunity to modify maladaptive personality functioning in ways that can permanently enhance their quality of life.

The authors provide a clear, specific, and comprehensive description of how to practice DPHP from beginning to end, presented in jargon-free exposition using extensive clinical illustrations. Throughout, the book emphasizes fundamental clinical principles that enable the clinician to think through clinical decisions moment-to-moment and also to develop an overall sense of the trajectory and goals of treatment. Taking a diagnosis-driven approach, the book describes goals, strategies, tactics, and techniques, demonstrating the flexibility of the approach across a relatively long course of treatment. Finally, the authors provide a sophisticated discussion of integrating dynamic psychotherapy with medication management and other forms of treatment.

About this title

About the Author

Eve Caligor, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. She is a Training and Supervising Analyst and Director of the Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Division at Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research in New York City.

Otto F. Kernberg, M.D., is Director of the Personality Disorders Institute at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Division, and Professor of Psychiatry at the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York City. He is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research and is a past president of the International Psychoanalytic Association.

John F. Clarkin, Ph.D., is Co-Director of the Personality Disorder Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Division, and Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University in New York City. He is Past President of the International Society for Psychotherapy Research.

Review

This is a very good book and methodology for the treatment of patients who are functional in most areas of their life but continue to have problems secondary to their personality issues. The breakdown of the guidelines from overall goals to moment to moment interactions in session is well done. The clinical examples are extremely useful in illustrating treatment points.

-- (06/15/2007)

As an extension of TFP to the therapy of higher level personality pathology, this text fills an important theoretical and clinical gap in the psychoanalytic literature. To my knowledge, it is the first psychoanalytic work to address work with this population. It expands psychoanalytic expertise into areas covered previously by cognitively oriented authors.

-- (06/15/2007)

Edition details

• Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1585622125
• ISBN 13: 9781585622122
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 284