Restructuring Personality Disorders A Short-Term Dynamic Approach

Therapists working with personality-disordered clients must contend with both the complex and often treatment-refractory nature of the Axis II disorders themselves and the growing reluctance of third-party payers to assume the costs of extended treatment. Presenting a flexible, short-term dynamic model, this book shows how to conduct successful therapies with this population. The author synthesizes the work of pioneers in the field of short-term therapy and adds components from a range of other approaches, emphasizing active defense analysis and empathic affirmation of the client's core self. With step-by-step guidelines and extensive case material, the volume demonstrates how to bring about rapid and enduring changes in personality-disordered clients.

Jeffrey J. Magnavita, Ph.D., ABPP, is the founder of the Connecticut Center for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy and has been in active clinical practice for fifteen years. He trains mental health professionals and lectures on the theory, technique, and science of psychotherapy. Dr. Magnavita was the 1995 recipient of the Distinguished Contribution to the Science of Psychology award given by the Connecticut Psychological Association, for his contributions to the field of psychotherapy. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, Society for Psychotherapy Researchers, Society for Psychotherapy Integration, and the International Society on the Study of Personality Disorders, and is a book reviewer for the journal, Psychotherapy.