Icon Books (UK), Totem Books
(USA). Published April, 2003
Acupuncture
Written
by Nigel C. Benson, Illustrated / designed by Borin Van Loon
Psychotherapy is now hardly
contentious, an accepted safety net for
the perils of modern life. But what - really - is it all about? Nigel
C.Benson
offers a unique summary of this complex profession, focusing on the
main
types of therapies. An essential for everyone with an emotional life.
(Nigel
also wrote and illustrated the best selling 'Introducing Psychology'
for
Icon Books which can be seen as a companion volume to this one.)
This is Borin's newest title in the 'Introducing'
series. Dealing
with an astonishing range of therapies, counselling and complementary
techniques
this book provides a valuable summary of the 'talking cures' of
psychoanalysis,
behavioural and cognitive techniques, somatic solutions, humaninst,
gestalt
and existential approaches individual and group therapies. Introducing
Psychotherapy is a comprehensive
guide for anyone who wants to understand
more about the subject, whether approaching it for the first time or
expanding
on existing knowledge. Useful for anyone seeking help for themselves or
others (including parents and other carers), it also provides important
theory and practice for those considering training to be counsellors or
therapists, and any other students or professionals concerned with
welfare.
Another first for Borin: an entirely hand-drawn 'Introducing' book from
start to finish. There's only one tiny collaged piece: a reflexology
chart
by Native Americans. Populated by strange little blobs of humanity
looking
like inverted lightbulbs with enormous noses, the approach is probably
one
of his most accessible titles in the series: funny, irreverant and, we
hope,
inspirational. The author describes it thus: "A unique feature of Introducing
Psychotherapy is the cartoon
style of the celebrated illustrator Borin
Van Loon, who currently has 25 books in print displaying his graphical
talents
... 'I'm really pleased with the way Borin has brought out the wit and
humour
of my book,' says Nigel. 'Psychotherapy, of course, is a serious
subject
and it deals with some heavy issues but these have been made easier to
understand
and digest through the use of Borin's entertaining characters ...'."
Freud: Psychodynamic
Forefather
(left) and the Mae West view of therapy
(right)
And
a sample spread on the subject of the closure of the asylums and
release into 'Care in the community':
Reviews
(5 stars) Reviewer: T.Bossino, 10 Nov 2009 If you are looking to have a career in
this field, this book will guide you in a concise way through
the various types of counselling and its uses. If you are a visual
learner the graphical approach will suit you really well. It is
entertaining and very informative. I found that it gave me a brilliant
overview to psychotherapy and counselling and I should imagine, if you
are considering counselling for yourself, it would provide you with
most of your options and assist you in finding what would be best for
you.
Recommended readings: General Texts on
Psychotherapy
Nigel Benson and Borin van Loon: "Introducing Psychotherapy" 2003. ISBN
1 84046 441 0. Brief, Readable in a couple of hours
(cartoon-style!) and humorous. Aimed at non-professionals.
(http://www.psychiatry.uct.ac.za/psych_files/reading_list.php)
(5 Stars) Excellent summary of
psychotherapy!, December 7, 2003
Reviewer: mrharrywebb from
London, UK
Introducing Psychotherapy is a superb follow-up to Introducing
Psychology
(by the same author). This sensitively illustrated book not only
includes
conventional approaches (ie psychoanalysis, cognitive and behavioural
therapies,
etc) but it also manages to include a useful summary of alternative /
complementary
therapies (eg spiritual and energy based techniques). As well as being
an
ideal introduction for anyone wanting to study this broad subject, or
even
take it up as a career, it is a very handy reference book for anyone
just
wanting to look up key topics and get a quick understanding. Thoroughly
recommended!
(5 stars)Highly recommened
introduction to Psychotherapy,
June 7,
2003
Reviewer: Jonathan Maher from
Rochdale, Lancashire United Kingdom
Introducing Psychotherapy like so many of the introducing series brings
to life a fansicating topic that you may have read about in a stuffy
old
textbook or heard about on the television Through a perfect balance of
humour
and comicbook pictures and text psychotherapy comes alive as a powerful
and useful set of talking treatments used to treat mental disorders.
Psychotherapy is a huge topic and one that is widely misunderstood
often
being mistaken for 'counselling' which is a unique part of
psychotherapy.
The authors chart the course of psychotherapy through the ages, how it
has
developed into hundreds of different treatments, what they aim to do
and
the mental disorders they aim to treat. The book is fanscinating and is
the ideal starting point for anyone
wanting
to do psychotherapy or for anyone embarking on working in mental health
and for those with many years of experience.
Introducing Psychotherapy
Acupuncture
