Object Relations Brief Therapy: The Therapeutic Relationship in Short-Term Work

Object Relations Brief Therapy combines practical techniques with the depth of object relations theory, the wisdom of previous brief therapy writers, and, most notably, an emphasis on the unique therapeutic relationship. Often, therapists despair ofdoing any meaningful work in brief therapy. To this, Michael Stadter suggests the following pragmatic approach, "think dynamically, address some underlying issue(s) and do what you can." Specifically, the book emphasizes the depth of understanding of human experience that comes from an object relations perspective; the insight and experiential vitality of attention to the therapeutic relationship including its real, transferential, and countertransferential elements; the impact of the psychodynamic techniques that have been carefully studied and delineated by brief therapy writers such as Davanloo, Horowitz, Malan, Strupp, and Binder; and the flexibility of an eclectic approach that thoughtfully and selectively incorporates non-psychodynamic interventions. Therapists do not have to "escape" managed care, according to Stadter. Rather, they need to learn how to deal with it in a way that preserves their integrity and enables them to practice the kind of healing psychotherapy they know how to do. In today'shealth care climate, Object Relations Brief Therapy is a much-needed guide for committed therapists.