The Problem with Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy has a long pedigree, dating back a hundred years to Freud's pioneering work.

Starting with a clear account of Freud's theory, this book then goes on to describe the work of his most famous followers and detractors, and offers a broad overview of the problems and benefits of this treatment method.Issues of cost rather than efficacy of treatment are currently increasing the diversion of scarce resources from the psychoanalytically based psychotherapies to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), largely because of the perception that the latter produces quicker results and is therefore more cost-effective.

However, this book shows that alternatives to psychoanalytic psychotherapy, like CBT, are not necessarily as new and radical as might be supposed, and, despite the problems, it argues for the continuing use and development of a method of treatment that has brought relief to many over the past century.