A Guide for Beginning Psychotherapists

Rating:
Summary: Great basic intro to working as a psychotherapist
Review: This book was written in 1977 so it may be out of date. However, I am considering becoming a psychotherapist and wanted information about the day-to-day work. For this, the book is excellent: it is heavy on practice and light on theory. The first chapter discusses motives for becoming a therapist, which I found useful for self-examination. Then the book follows a typical case from background research on a client, to the initial interview, staffing reports, and so forth, through terminating therapy. Along the way, the book provides mini-case studies to illustrate key points. The book gives many practical hints such as how to put a client at ease, how to arrange the office, deal with no-show clients, and so forth. In summary, this is a good book for a beginning therapist or a person wanting insight into the day-to-day work of a therapist.