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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by RosieOGrady on September 24, 2004, at 18:00:20
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Speaker on September 23, 2004, at 22:23:55
I looked that book up on Amazon and all they had was used paperbacks and the prices started at 175.00 dollars!!!It must be a REALLY good book.
It does sound fascinating. It's hard to find good Christian psychology book. I read the Minreth Meyer book 'Happiness is a Choice" and was disappointed in it. Although there were some good tips, I believe with depression happiness isn't ALWAYS a choice.
> The book that clicked with me is "Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You". If you are a Christian it is a tremendous book. It answered a lot about Disassociation, Dividedness and other things about mental health and how all of that fits with Christianity. It was very freeing for me! It was written by several Dr.s from The Shepherd's House in Pasadena, CA. in 1999.
Posted by Speaker on September 24, 2004, at 20:39:55
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » Speaker, posted by RosieOGrady on September 24, 2004, at 18:00:20
It is a GOOD book but it is a very small book...I think I paid 7.95. It might be worth checking with the Shepherd House and see if you can get a copy directly from them. I didn't list all the authors but if you want them I would be glad to. Also, I'm not much for the it's all a choice thing. I always think about Elijah and how after he won the battle he ran off and was depressed and God sent and angle to feed him not just once but twice...seems to me if it was just a choice God would have said "Get up and choose to get better"! Instead God fed him and took care of him. That's what I like about this book it's called The Life Model and deals with truth not choice. Hope you get a copy and we can discuse it.
Speaker
Posted by fallsfall on September 25, 2004, at 21:27:56
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » RosieOGrady, posted by Speaker on September 24, 2004, at 20:39:55
I have a fairly extensive collection... Most of mine are technical - written for therapists. I'll list them over time in no particular order...
"The Analysis of the Transference in the here and now" by Gregory P. Bauer. This one gives a really good understanding of transference. From the chapter entitled "Working Through" (yes, a whole chapter!): "This mastery of conflictual, self-defeating behavior often first occurs by means of practice with the therapist in their here-and-now relationship. As the patient gains an awareness of his manner of relating to the therapist, of what brings about this relationship pattern, as well as what its consequences are, the opportunity to behave in a different fashion is made possible."
"Changing Mind-sets : The Potential Unconscious" by Maria Carmen Gear, Ernesto Cesar Liendo and Lila Lee Scott. This is the best book I have ever seen on the Unconscious. It is quite technical. It talks about how stuff gets into the Unconscious and out of it, and how this relates to therapy techniques. I was really clueless about unconscious motivations, this book helped me to accept that I *have* an unconscious and feel more comfortable about how it works. I borrowed it from the library and then bought a used copy online.
"The Dance of Anger : A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships" by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D. This book is not really about anger. I think that any person who is in a relationship with anyone (parent, child, spouse, friend, therapist) should read this book. It talks about how patterns in the relationship (i.e. dominant/submissive, controlling/powerless, abusing/abused) are maintained by BOTH people in the relationship. It talks about what happens when one person tries to change these patterns - what the effectis on the other person, and what the other person will do in response. This information can help us to understand the dynamics of change, and see what might be making changes hard for us. It's not a long book, it is written for the general public, you should be able to find at least one copy at any mid-sized used book sale. I pick them up as I find them and give them away to people...
"Healing the Soul in the Age of the Brain : Becoming Conscious in an Unconscious World" by Elio Frattaroli, M.D. This is one of the books I got from my library when I was researching the Unconscious. My dog decided that it tasted good, so I had the opportunity to buy it from my library - but I really do like this book, so I wasn't unhappy to "have" to buy it. The most important theme that I got from this book is the difference between "The Swimming Pool" and "The Quest". Both are metaphors for life. In The Swimming Pool we spend all of our energy trying to stay afloat - to keep from drowning. In The Quest we are focused, instead, more on the big picture - where we want to go. The book talks about how both are necessary at different times. It has a section, also, called "Experiencing the Psychotherapeutic Process"...
Posted by fallsfall on September 25, 2004, at 22:18:26
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by fallsfall on September 25, 2004, at 21:27:56
These are my favorite Borderline Personality Disorder books.
"Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder" by Marsha Linehan. This book made me feel understood (maybe for the first time). It also helped me understand why my therapist would do certain things, and what I could do to help friends of mine who also have BPD. It has great sections on suicide risks, and on acceptance vs. change.
"Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" also by Marsha Linehan. This is the manual for DBT. It gives a briefer overview of Linehan's theory of BPD. It describes how the DBT skills are taught. And it has a wonderful section on emotions - pages of emotion words (for those of us whose emotional vocabulary is stunted...).
"Psychodynamic Psychotherapy of Borderline Patients" by Otto F. Kernberg, Michael A. Selzer, Harold W. Koenigsberg, Arthur C. Carr, Ann H. Appelbaum. Linehan's books give the CBT view of BPD, this book gives the Psychodynamic view. This book is fairly technical, but I found it very interesting to compare the views and therapies of two different therapeutic orientations for the same illness. It talks a lot about "objects" and "part objects" and "self objects", so it is not for the faint of heart. It was particularly helpful to me when I was switching from CBT to Psychodynamic therapy.
"A Primer of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy for the Borderline Patient" By Frank E. Yeomans, John F. Clarkin and Otto F. Kernberg. This book is written in question and answer style (which makes it harder to read, but perhaps easier to look up particular things?). It is a helpful book if you are wondering how therapy works, what you are supposed to be doing in therapy, what your therapist is doing (note that is is about Psychodynamic Therapy - not CBT).
"Losing and Fusing : Borderline Transitional Object and Self Relations" by Roger A. Lewin, M.D. and Clarence Schulz, M.D. This book speaks to the see-saw that many of us ride, between being afraid of being abandoned (losing), and being afraid of being too close (fusing). As we are afraid of abandonment we cling, but that puts us too close, so we proclaim our independence by distancing ourselves, which brings us back to the fear of abandonment. It talks about "holding environments" in therapy. This book presented yet another view of BPD.
Posted by ron1953 on September 27, 2004, at 17:12:23
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
I've read lots of very good psychology books over the years but one in particular really blew me away: "Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression" compiled by Nell Casey. I've mentioned it to many people and have yet to find anyone who read it - really surprising. Real stories by real people, all written eloquently by writers and poets. Very moving and enlightening. Also, "Darkness Visible" by William Styron (he also contributed to Unholy Ghost) is a compelling journal of depression. I HIGHLY recommend these books. If anybody out there has read either one, I would be very interested in your thoughts.
Posted by allisonf on September 27, 2004, at 19:41:15
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by ron1953 on September 27, 2004, at 17:12:23
I'm going to try the double quotes thing...
"The Noonday Demon" by Andrew Solomon is amazing. He writes about his own experience with depression (which is unbelievably insightful) and then follows that with a rich telling of the history of depression and it's cultural/societal implications. Highly recommended!!
Also, another good one about bipolar is "Electroboy" by Andy Behrman.
Posted by Daisym on September 28, 2004, at 11:04:51
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by ron1953 on September 27, 2004, at 17:12:23
I have both of these and just reread Unholy. They are sad and moving and I'm just so relieved that someone else felt the way I feel. I want to MAKE my family read them, but of course then I'd actually have to admit to something being wrong.
I also love "Undercurrent". Marsha Manning contributed to "Unholy Ghosts" too. Her book is a journal and it is just beautiful. When I read it, I took in one of the entries to my therapist and said, "this is exactly how I feel."
Do you like these books because you felt validated?
Posted by ron1953 on September 28, 2004, at 11:18:21
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » ron1953, posted by Daisym on September 28, 2004, at 11:04:51
Daisy:
Not so much validated as enlightened. Some of the stories helped me accept that my condition is chronic but not terminal. Some showed that there are depressives that have it tougher than I. I, too, would like to make some people (non-depressives) read Unholy Ghost so maybe they'd understand a little better. Thanks for the recommendation for Undercurrent - I'll go to the liberry (LOL) and check it out (pun unintentional).
Ron
Posted by Daisym on September 28, 2004, at 14:21:55
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » Daisym, posted by ron1953 on September 28, 2004, at 11:18:21
Let me know if you like it. What I liked about Ghosts was that there were men and women writers. I often wonder if men and women see depression differently. Another of my favorite books (just for fun) is "Tales from a Flying Couch" and the author describes his own war with depression.
Do you have a male therapist or female? And does he/she ask you to describe how you feel beyond saying "depressed"? I find this hard...sad doesn't say enough, frustrated isn't quite right. My therapist also wants to know where the pain sits in my body, or the heaviness. Which is an interesting exercise, to try to locate it. Once it was in my left ear. Hmmm...
Posted by badhaircut on September 28, 2004, at 17:38:27
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
"Celebrities on the Couch: Personal Adventures of Famous People in Psychoanalysis" [no Amazon] has stories from Patty Duke and Vivian Vance and other stars about how therapy "cured" them, compiled by Lucy Freeman in 1967. It really made me completely distrust celebrities (and be skeptical of other people) when they publicly say, "Oh, I'm cured now!" It's pretty poignant: Patty Duke's problems had hardly begun when she said in this that she was All Better Now. Hard to find, but a great read.
"Children of Psychiatrists" by Thomas Maeder (1990) is a lot of fun. Are shrinks' kids crazy? Well, according to those interviewed by Maeder, their parents are. Amazon Used has this for $1.50! I've got to get it.
"What the Butler Saw", a *hilarious* 1967 play by Joe Orton, has nothing to do with butlers; it's set in a psychiatrist's office. I've thought of posting excerpts here, just for fun. One of the pdocs has an entire family committed in straightjackets and carted off to an asylum. (It's his own family, of course.)
"Cheap Psychological Tricks" by Perry Buffington PhD (1996) has 60 amusing little tips based on psych research (citations included), like, If you're going to take cuts in a long line, cut in near the very front. People near the front aren't as anxious about getting pushed back....
Posted by gardenergirl on September 28, 2004, at 19:33:42
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Daisym on September 28, 2004, at 14:21:55
Are you sure that you weren't on the phone a great deal just before that session, Daisy? ;)
just being funny....I hope.
gg
Posted by daisym on September 28, 2004, at 19:51:01
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » Daisym, posted by gardenergirl on September 28, 2004, at 19:33:42
I was trying to remember if I had been talking to my mother...
My therapist thought it was hilarious. And then he said he hoped I hadn't been talking to him.
I said no, that he gave me pain elsewhere. (evil grin.)
Posted by ron1953 on September 28, 2004, at 23:31:08
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Daisym on September 28, 2004, at 14:21:55
Daisy:
I'll try to get the book soon. I read quickly and will give you my thoughts after I've finished. My shrink is a woman - old enough to be my mother. We "connected" immediately and have a lot of similar views about a lot of things. Thus, there's a lot I don't have to explain at length in order for her to understand. She is the rare psychiatrist who doesn't have a big ego. She's in the business because she really cares about people (imagine that!). No, she doesn't ask me what I'd consider stupid questions. I'm pretty good at describing how I feel and probably make it easier for both of us. We've been working as a team for over 5 years and we learn a lot from each other.
Ron
Posted by daisym on September 29, 2004, at 0:36:24
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » Daisym, posted by ron1953 on September 28, 2004, at 23:31:08
How does the female/male dynamic work for you? I have a male therapist and we have been working together for 16 months. Given that we are working on depression and csa issues, typically the "mixed" set up is not recommended. It works for me. Of course, I think I have a pretty good therapist. He is completely invested in the relationship and I haven't seen much ego. He is willing to work with both the adult side and child sides that have emerged in therapy. It feels odd, but it seems to be working.
Does you therapist recommend books? We had a discussion today about my need to research topics. My therapist is a big fan of Kohut. I think I'll ask tomorrow about a book recommendation.
By the way...welcome to babble. I haven't seen you on the board before, are you new or returning from a break?
Posted by ron1953 on September 29, 2004, at 9:06:42
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by daisym on September 29, 2004, at 0:36:24
Daisy:
I don't think I'm a sexist, so the male/female thing with my current shrink doesn't seem to be a factor. My prior experiences with docs of either sex weren't very productive and didn't last long, except for one (he was a Psychologist).
Funny, but I'm the one who recommends books to her, mostly in the interest of passing the recommendations on to other patients who might benefit. I don't know if she reads them and/or passes on the recommendations. BTW, I never heard of Kohut before. I think I might be particularly interested in "Analysis of the Self: Systematic Approach to Treatment of Narcissistic Personality Disorders" because I think my 23-year-old son may fall into this category, and I'd like to learn more about it. Otherwise, I'm not much into traditional analysis/talk therapy.
I've been on Babble for about a month but mostly on the medication board. Now I'm spending more time in books, social, relationships and this one. Of course, there's some overlap - so I learn a lot on all of them. This is an excellent web site with something for nearly anyone.
Posted by Dinah on October 16, 2004, at 11:13:05
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
I'm fond of all of the books of Irvin Yalom, but one of my favorites is "Every Day Gets a Little Closer: A Twice-Told Therapy". Mostly because I'm intrigued with the concept. I think most case studies should have a rebuttal by the client. :)
I often wonder if my therapist and I would tell the same tale of our therapy. I think we're getting closer over time.
Posted by 64bowtie on October 16, 2004, at 14:26:43
In reply to fun therapy books, posted by badhaircut on September 28, 2004, at 17:38:27
Posted by Clarinette on November 14, 2004, at 20:16:57
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
I'm sorry but I think this book only exists in French as yet, it was only published last year (maybe the canadians can make some use of it). However, take a note of this guys name, when this gets translated, you must read it immediately! It's the clearest most approachable book that I've come across to date for bipos and their famillies.
'Des hauts et des bas qui pertubent votre vie - aide et conseils aux mainiaco-depressifs et à leur famille' by Michel ROCHET, editions Chiron. The title translates roughly as 'The ups and downs which upset your life - help and advice for maniaco-depresives and their famillies'
Hope you'll be able to read it one day.
Oh there's also 'Le mirroir de janus' by Sami-Paul Tawil, editions Pocket.
Happy reading,
Clara
Posted by Dinah on December 17, 2004, at 16:15:12
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
I've been doing a lousy job of keeping this thread alive, but I do think it's a good thread.
One of the first books on psychology that meant a lot to me was "Cutting" by Steven Levenkron. I'm not sure that the information in it is the latest, but the description of the caring therapeutic relationship woke a sort of longing in me.
On the other hand, I choose not to read it often just for that reason. It makes me disappointed that my therapist isn't as wonderful as he describes himself as being.
Posted by daisym on December 17, 2004, at 18:48:20
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » Dinah, posted by Dinah on December 17, 2004, at 16:15:12
Dinah,
I know what you mean. I read stuff and people have these "ah ha" moments or they only need things reframed once and they move on. When I read Yalom, I often wonder if he is as good and caring as he says he is.
I just read another book called "A General Theory of Love" and I learned a lot about the function of attachment and how the brain works. It was a fairly easy read and helped me understand myself some. Particularly because there is a discussion of the distracted mother and the fall out from that. I often think of abandonment issues around moms being completely unavailable. But this research talks about how a distracted mother can result in a child who is emotionally disorganized and doesn't learn to internalize things, like coping or calming methods.
Posted by littleone on December 18, 2004, at 16:48:22
In reply to Re: Useful psychology and psychotherapy books » Dinah, posted by Dinah on December 17, 2004, at 16:15:12
Dinah,
The book you quote is an excellent one. It didn't help me stop cutting as such, but it did help to normalise it and helped me understand the why's a bit better.
I tried leaving it lying around the house in the hopes that my husband would pick it up and try to understand why I do it, but no such luck :(
I can really relate to what you say about being disappointed that your own T doesn't live up to the authoring T. But I tend to do the opposite. When my T falls short, I gobble up Yalom's books in the hopes that he can give me what I need instead.
Posted by Dinah on January 4, 2005, at 8:10:14
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 20:15:16
Has anyone read
"The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy: Building and Rebuilding the Human Brain"
The premise looks interesting, but I've already got a stack of unread books. Is this one worth it?
Posted by Klokka on January 4, 2005, at 19:07:40
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on January 4, 2005, at 8:10:14
I've seen it on my pdoc's bookshelf. Creepy! It's actually related to a topic I'm considering for a project I'll be starting soon for school, so I might end up reading it anyway. I'll let you know if I do.
Posted by Dinah on January 4, 2005, at 20:34:31
In reply to Haven't read it yet, but... » Dinah, posted by Klokka on January 4, 2005, at 19:07:40
Posted by daisym on January 4, 2005, at 22:28:17
In reply to Useful psychology and psychotherapy books, posted by Dinah on January 4, 2005, at 8:10:14
I am in the middle of reading "thoughts without a thinker" by Mark Epstein. Actually I'm jumping all around in it. It is a book about Psychotherapy from a Buddhist perspective. I find myself in tears on many of the pages but it really resonates with me.
I know it is an oldish book, about 10 years now. Someone gave it to me for Christmas.
I also recently finished "A General Theory of Love" by Thomas Lewis, which was recommended by someone here. I really liked it. It had a lot of brain stuff in it, as related to attachment and memory.
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