Thoughts for Therapists: Reflections on the Art of Healing

Caught up in the process of providing healing for others, many therapists find themselves struggling with aspects of their own lives, both professional and personal. Practitioner Schwartz and Flowers (psychology, Chapman U.) provide accessible, short reads intended to provide guidance for therapists who find themselves challenged by the complexity of clinical work, difficult or resistant clients, unclear communication, gender issues, and clinical limitations. They describe the nature of the healing relationship, the characteristics of healers, the acts of the therapist, dealing with failure and criticism on the journey, healing deeper wounds, basic debates on the art of healing, and evolving perspectives in therapy. The result is appropriately challenging rather than being merely soothing. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Bernard Schwartz, Ph.D., is currently the director of clinical supervision for Catholic Charities and director of clinical training for Outreach Concern in Orange County, California, and has written a number of books, including How to Fail as a Therapist. He has specialized in the fields of sports psychology, and child custody evaluations, and has written extensively on both subjects.John V. Flowers, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at Chapman University and a clinical psychologist in private practice. His research has focused on psychotherapy process and outcome, and more recently psychotherapy in the cinema. He has authored dozens of journal articles, several books, including How to Fail as a Therapist, and made hundred of presentations to scientific societies.