Skills in Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy

During her forty year career Susan Howard has worked as both a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and clinical psychologist. Sharing knowledge about the psychodynamic approach with lay people and other professionals has been both a cornerstone and a highlight of her professional career. This included teaching psychotherapy to clinical psychologists at the University of Surrey for over two decades. Now semi-retired, she still has a small private practice focussing on supervision and training. Towards the end of her career she undertook an additional training in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) which has its roots in the psychodynamic approach. She is currently Chair of IPT UK.

• The Psychodynamic ApproachBecoming a Therapist: The Personal Journey towards Skilled PracticeBecoming a Therapist: Other Ways to Enhance Personal GrowthTherapist as Neurosurgeon: Understanding the Brain and the Implications for PsychotherapySetting the Scene for Therapy: The Therapeutic FrameThe First Sessions: The Therapeutic AllianceWorking with Unconscious CommunicationThe Theory Underlying Technique: Transference and CountertransferenceTypes of InterpretationInterpreting the Transference and CountertransferenceUnderstanding and Working with DefencesManaging the Therapeutic ProcessAssessment and FormulationHow Do We Know it Works? And Why Has it Been So Difficult to Spread the Good News?

Well written and thoughtfully structured, this highly accessible, lively text offers the reader a contemporary and comprehensive introduction to psychodynamic practice. Howard provides lucid explanations of core psychodynamic ideas and skills rooted in engaging clinical illustrations. It will be an invaluable companion both during and beyond training.