The Essence of Psychotherapy Reinventing the Art for the New Era of Data

The Essence of Psychotherapy traces the common thread in all psychotherapy approaches--behavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic, strategic, and humanistic--and defines this "essence" as a set of fundamental principles and ultimate objectives that must be preserved in the face of increased standardization in the field. While today's therapist is guided by protocols and manuals, psychotherapy, in practice, remains an art. Nicholas and Janet Cummings have gathered case studies of master therapists to illustrate the essential process of successful therapy and to show that, as an art, it is both teachable and verifiable.

• Illustrated with case studies
• Analyses the techniques of six master psychotherapists in their work with difficult patients

Acknowledgments.
About the Authors.
What Are "Best Practices" Anyway?
Psychotherapy Is an Amalgam of All Techniques and Competencies.
The Anatomy of Psychotherapy.
Effective Psychotherapy as Focused, Intermittent Psychotherapy Throughout the Life Cycle.
Intermittent, Focused Psychotherapy Throughout the Life Cycle.
Psychotherapy's New Horizons.
New Notes on Old Masters.
A Sampling of Current Masters.
Extreme Therapy: The Power of Psychotherapy.
Epilogue.
References.
Index.

Nicholas A. Cummings, Ph.D., Sc.D. is the President of the Foundation for Behavioral Health and Chairman of the Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foundation, Inc. He was the founding CEO of American Biodyne (MedCo/Merck, then Merit, now Magellan Behavioral Care). He is also the former President of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Cummings was the founder of the four campuses of the California School of Professional Psychology, the National Academies of Practice, the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association, and the National Council of Professional Schools of Psychology. He was also the Chief Psychologist (Retired) at Kaiser Permanente. He was the former Executive Director of the Mental Research Institute. Currently, Dr. Cummings is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Janet L. Cummings, PsyD., is President of the Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foudation, Inc., and former staff psychologist at American Biodyne (MedCo, now Merit Behavorial Care). She earned her Doctorate at the School of Professional Psychology, Wright State University, 1992.