Reviews (1)

Reasoned voice of years of practical experience
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide by Nancy McWilliams (Psychoanalytic Theory and Therapy instructor, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rugers--The State University of New Jersey) is a guide written especially for psychotherapists, but which contains vital information that practitioners and recipients alike should internalize to promote optimum treatment results. From preparations the therapist should undergo, including submitting to professional psychotherapy oneself, to occupational hazards of the practice, to a careful discussion of basic therapy processes of listening and talking, to advanced, complex issues of analysis and understanding, and so much more, Psycho-analytic Psychotherapy covers all the basic groundwork with the calm, reasoned voice of years of practical experience. Recommended for those considering psychotherapy as a career as well as those involved in practice looking to broaden their awareness of available methods.
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Subjects:  1. Movements - Psychoanalysis    2. Psychoanalysis    3. Psychoanalytic Therapy    4. Psychology    5. Psychotherapy - General    6. Psychology & Psychiatry / Psychoanalysis    7. Psychotherapy   

Reviews (11)

A brilliant treatise on how the mind develops by a credible author with good writing skills
The essence of this book is captured in its very first paragraph, "the mind emerges at the interface of interpersonal experience and the structure and function of the brain." It goes on to explain how this is so in the various chapters that cover memory, emotion, construction of reality (via internal representations), states of mind, self regulation, interpersonal connection and integration.
The Brain and Attachment
While having contributed to many publications, The Developing Mind is the first of many books to be written by Dr. Daniel J. Siegel.Dr. Siegel and his work entitled Interpersonal Neurobiology integrates a spectrum of perspectives such as the latest scientific, cultural, and psychological research into an understandable language that has the potential to stimulate positive individual healing and collective changes in our society.

Putting it all togeter
This is one of the best books that I have read regarding emotions and the physiology of the brain.I work with children who have autism and this was a great resource for helping me to put early childhood development and neuroanatomy together ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Brain    2. Developmental - Lifespan Development    3. Developmental psychology    4. Intellect    5. Interpersonal relations    6. Physiological aspects    7. Psychology    8. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    9. Child & developmental psychology    10. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / Child Psychology   

Reviews (11)

Mother fines answers after almost 14 years
I read the book to clarify some suspicions that my daughter might have this syndrome. It gave me answers to questions that have puzzled me about my daughter for a long time.
Your first stop!
If you or someone you know has just been dx with Asperger's then this should be your first book!It is the basics of everything.It is very inclusive and goes into great detail.It is writen for a parent of AS children and included issues such as special education and medication.It is a bit of a read - but well worth it.There is one issue I would like to bring up.It is deffinatly writen with the assumption that the parent of the AS child does not have AS themselves.Althought this is not a major issue it is daunting to be told that you understand everything that your child has issues with.How do you teach social skills to a child when you don't have a good grasp of them yourselves.It is not a major part of the book but it would be a nice section to be added to a future addition expecially since most people with AS have family that also has AS.

Excellent Resource
This book was INVALUABLE for comforting my fears and holding my hand through the IEP process, understanding all the different "titles" of people you will be interfacing with. I highly recommend it!
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Subjects:  1. Asperger's syndrome    2. Autism in children    3. Children with Special Needs    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. General    6. Health & Fitness    7. Health/Fitness    8. Parenting - General    9. Health & Fitness / General   

Reviews (1)

Excellent resource
I used the eighth edition of this book for my graduate level course in human development. It is an excellent resource for anyone involved in child-related fields. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Developmental - General    2. Developmental - Lifespan Development    3. Developmental psychology    4. Movements - Humanism    5. Psychiatry - General    6. Psychology    7. Child & developmental psychology    8. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    9. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (11)

Excellent!
I am not educated in psychology, but I found this professional-level book easy to read and very informative.McWilliams looks at various personalities like the sociopathic, paranoid, hysterical, etc.She explains the defense mechanisms that lead to the various personality types.Although this book is written from the standpoint of pathological personality types and is intended for use by professionals and psych students, after reading this book you will have a greater understanding of personality quirks of family, friends, and co-workers.Well-written and very informative, even for the "armchair" psychologist.

Excellent read for beginning & experienced mental health clinicians
McWilliams clearly has a degree of mastery on the subject. It is quite easy to write about this topic in manner that overcomplicates the subject (as many do), but rarely do I encounter an author who is able to present the information in a highly readable, accessible & integral manner. It is appropriate for experienced and beginning therapists alike. This is a book that any clinician ought to have in their library and you will find yourself referring back to it over the years.

not only for students
As an engineer who just wanted to get some insights in the field of psychoanalysis this book is doing a great job. It is easy to understand also for people who did not enjoy any psychological education before. It might just be the best way to get a good first overview of modern psychoanalytical models. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movements - Psychoanalysis    2. Personality Disorders    3. Personality assessment    4. Personality development    5. Psychoanalysis    6. Psychoanalytic Interpretation    7. Psychology    8. Psychopathology - Compulsive Behavior    9. Typology (Psychology)    10. Psychiatry    11. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory    12. Psychology & Psychiatry / Psychoanalysis   

Reviews (3)

cells over systems
I'm a biopsychologist.Kalat is a very good writer with a gift for explaining difficult concepts and for keeping technical issues interesting.I chose his Intro Psych book for my classes for just this reason.My response to this book is a little more mixed.Biopsychology ranges broadly from cellular to systems level research.This book does well at the former level.It gets a little more deeply into the biochemistry than I would prefer but does so well and is impressively up to date.It does less well at the systems level literature.For example, it defines two common imaging terms incorrectly: PET and rCBF (mixing them up with SPECT and PET respectively).Overall, I like the book and chose it for my biopsychology class but every instructor needs to choose based on their own needs for depth and for emphasis.

as for textbooks.....
as for textbooks for a biopsych class, this book is certainly interesting and the enhanced cd is definitely a plus.this book has not yet been used as a pillow for a sudden study break nap.the pictures are clear, the writing is friendly, and it's too bad that more texts can't be like this!

Great textbook!
I'm a freshman Psychology student at the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)... I used this book to study for my course Biological Psychology (duh!)... Anyway, this book is very organized, good summaries and a clear explanation of all the important concepts... Even if you don't have much knwoledge of biology, you will understand this book... at least I did... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mental Health    2. Neuropsychology    3. Physiological Psychology    4. Psychobiology    5. Psychology    6. Psychotherapy - Counseling    7. Biology, Life Sciences    8. Psychology & Psychiatry / Counseling    9. Psychotherapy   

Reviews (25)

Great Resource
The book is very explanatory.It breaks down the theories adequately.It is also simple to read and does not contain heavy psychotherapy jargon.

Good resource
this book really helps with understanding Corey's Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. This book is a great buy! You wont regret it.

theories of counseling
I really wanted the textbook, and was unaware until I received the shipment that this was a review/study guide.I was disappointed, but the book was in good condition and is useful. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Applied Psychology    2. Counseling    3. Counseling (Psychology)    4. Mental Health    5. Psychology    6. Psychotherapy    7. Psychotherapy - Counseling    8. Psychotherapy - General    9. Counselling    10. Psychology & Psychiatry / Psychotherapy   

Reviews (18)

Incredible source of insight
I wish they would make another edition, even though its expensive, well worth its read. written well enough for both laymen and professional. It gets kind of technical at the end, but once you've read enough of the other books, you pretty much can get an idea of the clinical stuff.
Making a difficult study simply amazing!
Studying and treating Bipolar Disorder is a difficult trend. Since Kraepelin lessons became available in his book, perhaps "Manic Depressive Illness" is the first to try the almost impossible mission to launch new lights on the matter. And with an amazing approach full of eruditism as well as simplicity and warmth. Untill nowadays, extremely accurate, complete, precise and comprehensive. In little words: in all aspects, amazing!

BUY THIS BOOK
Years ago when I was hospitalized for this illness, this HUGE reference and research book literally got me through.When doctors and my own family didn't know what was going on with me, I knew because the things written in this book were detailing (to a hugely accurate degree)my own experiences. Beyond this, it gives invaluable insight into lesser-known facets of this condition that it's apparent not even some physicians have researched, so in depth. The criticisms of some semi-outdated material are valid...certainly there have been advances in medicine, in particular, in the past 10-15 years.However, the bulk of the information is current in its validity and would not change, over time.This is some intense research.There is simply no other reference book out there that is so detailed and thorough.You must buy this book if you are the least bit interested in learning about this illness.Mental health experts should be required by law to own it.Surely, if you yourself have experienced the effects of bipolar disorder or you know someone in your family or life with it, you will literally not be able to put the book down--it's fascinating! Buy it, coupled with co-author Kay Redfield Jamison's other books (she's a psychiatrist AND a bipolar/manic depressive)--she is refreshingly unashamed and clear about her own life experiences in other works.Don't expect any personal examples in this book, as it's strictly research and data. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bipolar Disorder    2. Health/Fitness    3. Manic-depressive illness    4. Medical    5. Mental Depression    6. Psychiatry - General    7. Psychology    8. Psychopathology - General    9. Medical / Psychiatry    10. Medicine | Psychiatry & Psychology    11. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    12. Psychiatry   

Reviews (666)

Real life example.
My nephew is 21, a college senior, and last week his mother yelled at him because he keeps getting a certain ringtone on his cellphone.She yelled because that ringtone is reserved for the girls he no longer wants to see, but who keep calling him constantly anyway.His mom yelled because she thought he should be honest with them, but he "just couldn't be that mean." He preferred to tell them he was too busy and then just stop calling.And you know what?Very few of them take the hint.They need this book -- stat.If you keep calling, texting and emailing a guy and he never answers or is "too busy," he's not busy, or scared, or confused about his feelings - he's just not that into you.Believe me, Behrendt is onto something.When my nephew wants to date a girl, nothing stops him from seeing her.It's that simple.

Saved me from relationship hell
Admit it or not,this book speaks the truth.We just need reminding not to settle.Practical, funny, witty and every woman's must-read!

Eye opening stuff
This book was very useful and eye opening. In a very honest, fun and frank way, Greg explains there are no mixed messages and that men are not complicated, but terrified to tell a woman directly "you are not the one". It is very useful so that women don't waste time making excuses for these men and move on to find the one guy who is really into them. I would also recommend reading "How to create a Magical Relationship" from Ariel and Shya Kane, which is a very simple and direct guide to have satisfying, honest, fun and magical relationships. The Kanes' approach is gentle and full of wisdom and gives a fresh take on a world that keeps wanting to divide men from women.It also really explains how to keep relationships alive and fully in-love, which is absolutely the next step after he is totally into you!!" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Attitudes    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family/Marriage    4. General    5. Interpersonal Relations    6. Love & Romance    7. Love / Sex / Marriage    8. Man-woman relationships    9. Men    10. Psychology    11. Rejection (Psychology)    12. Topic - Relationships    13. Family & Relationships / Love & Romance   

Reviews (113)

Insightful, Educational, and Very Important
This book is a must read for anyone who has experienced domestic violence or cares about someone who is experiencing it.No other book does as good of a job explaining why abusers do what they do.It is key to understanding the dynamic of these people and avoiding further damage.

Made me want to leave my husband!
I can't really say that I hated this book or that I really liked it. I can say that it makes an abuser look REALLY bad and make you almost hate that person. It made me feel like my husband, even though he doesn't physically abuse me, knows what he's doing when he manipulates and frightens me. I have chosen to seek god for myself but it would be a sin to leave him. My husband is also a recovering alcoholic. Is he an abuser or an alcoholic? I don't know know, maybe he's both. Or maybe his parents were so screwed up with their own lives that my poor husband never got a chance to live a spiritual life. I do know that my husband as little to no self esteem and that is something that can be worked on I am sure. Men are delicate creatures in their emotions. Woman are much stronger, contrary to popular belief. A man will give an emotional answer to a practical question a lot. I would like a christian point of view when it comes to angry men and why they do the things they do and how to manage your family around it. I mean do I just let my husband yell at us ALL the time? The bible tells me to act one way but as a mother I feel it is my duty to stand in front of them and protect them from an emotionally abusive attack. So with that said, anyone have any suggestions? I am going to try Angry Men and the Women who love them. And see if that one is any better. I have heard it's great.

A timely and extremely valuable eye-opener. Life and sanity saving!
This book was a Godsend. It was extremely useful in helping me understand the reasoning and motivation behind my husband's abusive behavior, and it gave me clear and compelling guidance about how to deal with it from the man recognized as the leading expert in this field. I have shared it with my pastor and intend to give copies to several dear counselors and friends who mean well and love me but aren't really familiar with the issues surrounding domestic violence and abuse. This book will give a great deal of valuable insight to anyone in need or interested in supporting others in crisis (both the battered and those who batter). I feel like it has truly been a life-line. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abusive men    3. Dysfunctional Families    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family violence    6. Gender Psychology    7. Personality    8. Psychology    9. Social Welfare Services For Special Classes    10. United States    11. Wife abuse    12. Self-Help / General   

Reviews (9)

Complete Adult Psychotherapy Treatment Planner
This book is interesting, but it is far too "testbooky" and would benefit from being more focused on specific "how to" examples of treatment plans as do many other similar efforts.The text makes interesting reading, but, it didn't provide the concrete examples I expected.

Another great tool for the practioner's tool box.
Research suggests that an ever increasing number of practioners are relying on tools such as this to help formulate treatment plans. Thank You.
Just what I needed, such a time saver now I can actually use my brain power to help not just write about it--Thanks again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Practice Management    2. Psychology    3. Psychology / Practice Management    4. Psychotherapy   

Reviews (4)

A positive, worthwhile, and encouraging model for a vital question
-The authors helped found the Positive Psychology movement, which hopes to supplement psychology's current medical model ("find what's wrong, then fix it") with a model for positive health ("find what's right, then encourage it").Psychological health, which is not just an absence of disease, includes such things as character preparation, improved baseline happiness, realistic optimism, wisdom, and cognitive sophistication.The authors consider character and virtue indispensible for cultivating a good and positive life, and this book pioneers a method for classifying and evaluating them both.
Great Book
Great Purchase, I needed that book for a class; Amazon delivered quickly using UPS.
overall great book
I'm taking a positive psychology course and this book is ordained the Bible for positive psychology and so if you are interested in positive psych then get this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assessment, Testing & Measurement    2. Character    3. Handbooks & Manuals    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Personality    6. Psychology    7. Virtues    8. Psychology & Psychiatry / Clinical Psychology    9. Psychology | Clinical    10. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Reviews (5)

If you work in an ER or assessment setting...
I used this booklet as a quick reference in my work in a hospital ER and in doing intakes.It's meant to simply be a handy reference to the DSM criteria, and can't replace the study, consultation, and experience needed to understand the difference between clinically problematic and non-problematic behavior.If you work within the DSM/ICD/insurance system, and you've heard the phrase "justify your diagnosis" before, here's an invaluable and pocket-sized (well, for a big pocket) tool.

The Only DSM That You Need
This is a modest little book that you can fit into your pocket but it does everything that its big brother(the much more expensive, full version of the DSM IV-TR) does -- at half the price and with greater ease of use. While the unabridged DSM IV is pretty much a textbook of psychiatry, minus only treatment recommendations, this abridgement unpretentiously lists just the diagnostic categories and the relevent (concisely phrased) criteria. Professionals will find it a handy source of symptoms and diagnosis for insurance purposes. Non-professionals will find it usable for the purpose of diagnosing themselves, their spouse, their parents and problematic friends.

A Great Manual To Promote Mental Disorders !!!
The DSM IV-TR is a great book to promote diseases that fit the armaments of medications that the pharmaceutical companies would like physicians to use.
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Subjects:  1. Medical    2. Mental Illness    3. Psychiatric Diagnosis    4. Psychiatry - General    5. Psychology    6. Reference    7. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    8. Psychiatry   

Reviews (336)

Great Book
This book makes you realize things that are obvious but women don't see.I loved this book and recommended it to my girlfriends.The great part is that it changed me and the way I think when it comes to men.Loved it.

Great Book
This is a great book for women who have just broken up with someone or who are having a hard time meeting decent men. It's also a great book for women who are doormats when they meet and date men...they give him too much too soon, before he even earned it. I would recommend it only for these women (when I read the book years ago, I was in a relationship where I was definately a doormat, and it really helped me raise my self-esteem and change the relationship for the better). This book will help make unhealthy relationships healthier.
Some good advice, but goes a little too far
I think the main premise of this book is wonderful: a woman should not make her whole life about the man she is dating.It also gives helpful insight into why a man doesn't appreciate a woman who gives him everything.However, to go as far as the author advises would push many men away.After a period of time, a relationship should be a 50-50 partnership, and the author doesn't recognize this.What woman wants to play these "hard-to-get" games for the rest of her life?I don't! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dating (Social customs)    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family/Marriage    4. Interpersonal Relations    5. Life skills guides    6. Love & Romance    7. Love / Sex / Marriage    8. Mate selection    9. Self-esteem in women    10. Single women    11. Marriage & relationships   

Reviews (58)

Why not just kill your mother?
After hearing good things about the book I had hoped for some insight on how to change the approval seeking patterns developed from living in family where being good worked alot better than being authentic. Instead I got heavy handed criticism of "mothers" who warp their children through thier own selfish motivations. Some people may have parents who were intentionally cruel, but mine were just sad, depressed and inept. I spent so much effort defending them from this author's wrath, and perhaps anger at her own mother, that if there was any insight in this book about on how I might change my patterns of behavior I couldn't see it.

Frustrating But Extremely Valuable
It is unsurprising that Alice Miller's Drama of the Gifted Child has met with a certain amount of hostility from both the psychiatry and psychotherapy establishments.After all, she frowns both on the use of drugs and cognitive-behavioral techniques as treatments for anxiety--especially in children.She even suggests that those who would use such remedies may have unaddressed psychological problems of their own.What's worse, she appeals to no empirical studies (double-blind or not) in reaching these conclusions; in fact, a reader might be reluctant to conclude from this book that Miller would even be capable of assessing the value of a careful scientific study of this or that anti-anxiety treatment.So, as I've indicated above, this book is often very frustrating.But Miller's work is also quite valuable, at least in my opinion.Like Freud's contemporary Wilhelm Stekel, Miller may not be a systematic theoretician, but her extensive clinical experience has provided her with several important insights that I believe may be useful, particularly to parents of anxious children.
Looking back may be only way forward.
"The unexamined life is not worth living" wrote Socrates. If you find yourself on the path of this philosophy a good place to stop is with Alice Miller's short book, "Drama of the Gifted Child".The book, despite being written for therapist's, is unambiguous, easy to understand, and extremely compelling.The book addresses our secret-selves, which includes our subconscious selves, and asks the question, and I paraphrase here, how did you really feel back in the day? Miller contends that a trauma suffered in your young life will continue producing unhappiness, addiction, compulsion, fetishes, mental illness, and worse in your adult life.The only way out of pain is to face the truth. You must face what happened and how you really felt. Not how you were told to feel, not how you needed to feel to survive, not how you told yourself you should feel-- but how you really felt. This is easier read than done.The author states that you cannot undo the past, but through the process of mourning, obtained only by squarely facing the truth, you can free yourself and finally move forward.It is ultimately the story of your psychic pain and psychic redemption.Pain that could not be have been mourned at the point of trauma, and the devastating effects that pain can still be having on your life
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Subjects:  1. Adult Child Abuse Victims    2. Clinical Psychology    3. Developmental - Child    4. Mental health    5. Narcissistic injuries    6. Parent and child    7. Psychology    8. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    9. Rehabilitation    10. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Subjects:  1. Cognitive Psychology    2. Neuropsychology    3. Neuroscience    4. Psychology    5. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    6. Physiology    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / Neuropsychology   

Reviews (1)

abnormal psy interesting
A very readable text with all the necessary academics and also associated case studies that bring the information to life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pathological Psychology    2. Psychiatry    3. Psychology    4. Psychology, Pathological    5. Psychopathology - General    6. Abnormal psychology    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

Reviews (5)

THE CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPY TREATMENT PLANNER
I THINK IS VERY DIDACTIC FOR MI I DO NEED MORE PRACTICE ONEVERY ITEM FOCUSIN IN EACH CHILPROBLEMS DIFFERENT KIND OFEXERCISES WIL BE MORE INTERESTING FOR ME AND THE KID AND NOT TO BE MORE REPETING EVERY ITEM THANKS

great reference book
This book will be a great refernce and resource book for my practice.It will help my to better assist my clients.

A Starting Point and for Getting Unstuck
These 'planners' are a great place to start when designing a treatment plan. They are the equivalent of a 'manual' that refreshes memory, assists with language and format- and gets you past the block. Its weaknesses lie in its treatment methods and assessment paradigm.Read more

Subjects:  1. Adolescent psychotherapy    2. Child psychotherapy    3. Practice Management    4. Psychology    5. Psychotherapy - Child & Adolescent    6. Child & developmental psychology    7. Paediatric medicine    8. Psychological methodology    9. Psychology / Practice Management    10. Psychotherapy   

Reviews (1)

Organized with interesting case studies.Easy reading.
The text in paperback form was quite inexpensive.The book was organizedinto easily digestible chapters with insightful DSM classifications.Thechapter on sexual disorders was quite explicit.Our instructor skipped itin lecture. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Medical / Nursing    3. Mental Health    4. Psychology    5. Abnormal psychology   

Reviews (4)

Forget the DSM!
I agree Dunn and Wolz have said it all regarding the PDM. I have only one criticism of this excellent diagnostic volume, that the descriptions of the disorders are too brief. However, its brevity in that regard is instantaneously forgotten when considering it presents mental health from a truly holistic perspective. Any clinician working in the field should have this book!

A Useful and Invaluable Resource for Psychotherapists of Most Clinical Orientations
When I first learned about the PDM, I was so intrigued about this much needed and exciting alternative to the DSM that I decided to develop a continuing education online course for psychotherapists, which provides a historical context and a systematized summary of the clinically most relevant part of the new manual.In this process I learned to appreciate that, unlike the DSM or the ICD, which focus exclusively on pathology, the PDM includes descriptions of healthy functional patterns and healthy personality.The new manual insists that personality be evaluated first, and symptoms considered as secondary, because symptoms cannot be understood, assessed, or treated in the absence of an understanding of the personality structure of the person who has the symptoms.While the PDM sees it as important to differentiate "personality disorder" from personality per se, the manual does not present a hard-and-fast dividing line between the two, but suggests a continuum of severity. In contrast to the DSM, the psychodynamic manual considers subjective experiences, typical relationship patterns, and ways of engaging in the therapeutic process in the description of a person's overall functioning.For each personality disorder, clinicians learn what transference and countertransference reactions to expect in the clinical hour and what treatment approach to consider.For many diagnoses the possible psychological roots of the client's problems are mentioned.The manual emphasizes that, depending on their evaluation of a client's location on this severity dimension, therapists need to behave with important differences in emphasis, level of activity, explicitness of boundary-setting, frequency of sessions, and other features of technique.It becomes clear that there is a continuum from exploratory to supportive treatment that correlates roughly with the level-of-organization dimension.I believe that the PDM is a useful and invaluable resource for psychotherapists of most clinical orientations.
I don't even know what else to say...
Dr. Peter B. Dunn summarized this book fantastically in his review. Even upon first skimming the book, I was shocked at how clearly and realistically diagnostic categories are presented (the key word being REALISTICALLY). If you are even simply interested in therapy, this is a book that you must own. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Medical    2. Medical / Nursing    3. Mental Health    4. Psychiatry - General    5. Medical / Psychiatry    6. Psychiatry