"People who are coming for therapy are in emotional pain and they want to have this pain alleviated as soon as possible. Most of them are not fascinated by their psyches, nor are they pursuing mental health perfection. Sometimes patients experience their needs for immediate relief as being at variance with their therapists' goals for "problem resolution." Oftentimes, too, patients in open-ended therapies feel that they lose a sense of purpose or goal. "Where are we going?" is a frequently asked question. Some intriguing evidence suggests that offering patients time-limited but focused therapies can actually decrease the dropout rate."
- From Time Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy, by Hanna Levenson
This is a book that had a profound impact on me during my development as a therapist, and I say that as a psychologist who considers himself very cognitive-behavioral in orientation. A great book for development of a therapist's understanding and skill in assessing, managing, and using the process of the therapeutic relationship in the therapy session. I heartily recommend this book, along with its precursor, Psychotherapy in a New Key.
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