First Steps in the Clinical Practice of Psychotherapy: A Practice-Oriented Psychodynamic Approach

This clear and practical guide to clinical work, written for the psychotherapist in the first few years of practice, discusses what is involved in psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy. The first section provides a framework to assist with developing and using professional self-understanding in clinical practice. The book offers sound advice about the methods of dynamic therapy, and also suggests how therapists can increase their effectiveness by remaining in supervision and collaborating with other therapists. Ott addresses what it means personally and professionally to be a therapist and as well as how therapists can enhance their clinical skills.
In the second section, the therapist will find hands-on presentations of early treatment issues, from making initial phone contact, consulting and assessing clients, to more difficult situations involving, for example, the suicidal client. Ott details how the new therapist is to assess this difficult the situation, and offers specific interventions and help with the often confusing documentation. All of the interventions are firmly anchored in a psychodynamic understanding of clinical issues.
Maxa Ott has written a book that will guide new therapists entering their first practice. Vivid clinical examples illustrate psychodynamic concepts, and multiple scenarios provide the beginner with words to use in their own cases. A valuable list of referral sources will help beginners learn about the business side of being a therapist. The book concludes with an excellent compilation of sources that will interest the new therapist, such as confidentiality, countertransference, psychopharmacology, and substance abuse. This is a survival manual for the world of clinical practice, complete with practical tips and helpful suggestions.