Addressing Challenging Moments in Psychotherapy

This practical and helpful volume details how clinicians can work through various common challenges in individual, couple, or group psychotherapy.

Chapters draw upon clinical wisdom gleaned from the author’s 48 years as a practicing psychiatrist to address topics such as using countertransference for therapeutic purposes; resistance, especially when it needs to be the focus of the therapy; and a prioritization of exploration over explanation. Along with theory and clinical observations, Dr. Gans offers a series of "Clinical Pearls," pithy comments that highlight different interventions to a wide range of clinical challenges. These include patient hostility, the abrupt and unilateral termination of therapy, the therapist’s loss of compassionate neutrality when treating a couple, and many more. Many of the "Clinical Pearls" prioritize working in the here-and-now. In addition to offering advice and strategies for therapists, the book also addresses concerns like the matter of fees in private practice and the virtue of moral courage on the part of the therapist.

Written with clarity, heart, and an abundance of clinical wisdom, Addressing Challenging Moments in Psychotherapy is essential reading for all clinicians, teachers, and supervisors of psychotherapy.