Psychotherapy—Its Uses and Limitations

As the authors modestly say in their preface this small book sets out to be a guide to the student and practitioner, as to the sort of case where they may expect help from the specialist in psychotherapy ; and how the physician and the family doctor may often help the patient to conquer his disease. In this, deliberately limited, aim, it amply succeeds and its 156 pages are full of sound advice, well set out, easy to read, and illustrated now and again with case histories. The authors have wisely resisted the temptation to go into too much detail, which might well have made this book less valuable, by taking away from its simplicity and ease of reference. As it stands, it will be an introduction to the scope of psychotherapy for the student, and the practitioner faced with the day-to-day problems of individuals will find even more help and practical advice ; and though it is not written primarily for them, the social worker and nurse, and others interested in the human problems of their fellows will benefit from its lucidity. Indeed its common sense approach and reasoned tone, and the fact that it emphasizes psychotherapists' agreements rather than disagreements, will go far to achieve the authors' more ambitious aim?of making an end of suspicions and rivalries and letting all branches of medicine combine as a team " which can deal with both psyche and soma, with individual and environment, all of which indeed are indivisible ".