Attachment in Psychotherapy,   ISBN:9781593854560

Customer Rating: 

I'd like to add my support for Dr. David Wallin's wonderful text, 'Attachment in psychotherapy'. The book impressed me in it's wide coverage of attachment theory, links to mentalisation (here in New Zealand we spell it with an 's' not a 'z'), and to neuroscience, but most significantly in its application to psychotherapy practice. A number of commentators note the need to translate the findings of attachment theory to clinical practice. In this book Dr. Wallin embraces the challenge. The clinical examples and discussions are insightful and reveal the author as practitioner, not only as theoretician. I was left feeling stimulated and with fresh inspiration for my practice.

Rick Williment, New Zealand

Customer Rating: 

This is one of the best books, on any general topic in psychology, that I have ever read, as it is as informative, precise, and inclusive as a textbook, yet written and organized in an extremely approachable way. The book is well organized (earlier sections focusing on hsitorical development, later sections focusing on current ideas, and the last section attending to clinical implications and applications) and is conducive to readability at any point, either as a refresher on a particular topic, or a comprehensive beginning into attachment theory. The earlier chapters lay out the evolutions in thought in a respectful and useful way: the developing mind is neither all attachment, all internal childhood fantasy, or all logic-based reasoning and spatial intelligence function.

The book is physically designed to help the reader: chapter notes are printed at the end of the chapter (as opposed to relegation into end notes) and vignettes are well-balanced with theory. My fsvorite thing about the author's writing style is his ability to create sentences that illumine an author's research, as opposed to the irreperably disrupted sentences (broken by intrusive citation) that can often plague a scientific text when the author is careless with clarity (and combines many concepts at once).

As with the practice of psychology, the field of attachment is broad, and has changed drastically in a relatively short time. What this book does incredibly well, is set up those developments without omitting the frameworks from which they have either directly or indirectly been derrived. An additional benefit was the addition of integrating ideas and theories of (psychological) mindfulness, a topic often rendered inaccessible or remote, often buried within books directed at an audience that is primarily spiritual. It is a fine feat indeed to bridge that divide.

You CAN read Fonagy et al. first, as I did; but I'd rather give you the benefit of my experience and direct you to this book first!

Customer Rating: 

Patient: OMG! Just read a great book!
Therapist: What's the name of it?
Patient: Attachment in Psychotherapy by David Wallin. Really engaging, very readable. It's good stuff!
Therapist: So, tell me what stirred...
Patient: Well, I especially liked Wallin's idea of the "window of tolerance," and how that works bidirectionally. And I was happy to see that he obtained his patients' permission to tell their stories. That shows his true respect and understanding that the work is always co-created. It also sends a message of consideration and caring. Like I said, it's good stuff!
Therapist: (nods) What else about it comes to mind?
Patient: Wallin's mindfulness! His authenticity in the consulting room and his willingness to self-disclose, even thoughts that are difficult to express. It becomes contagious! It's an excellent model for the patient. And for therapists too.
Therapist: (smiles) Are you trying to tell me something?
Patient: Haha! Just saying! No really, the academics are rigorous, but the book is easy to understand and absorb. And Wallin welcomes the plurality in psychoanalytic thinking, sees it as enriching the work - though his core thoughts are most closely allied with relational ideas.
Therapist: Cool! Anything bother you about the book?
Patient: Yeah, it's too short! Hope he does a follow up, soon!
Therapist: Haha! Final thoughts before we go?
Patient: Wallin writes refreshingly with clarity and insight, encouraging the reader to associate to her/his own, "unthought known" ideas. It is clear that Dr. Wallin is a dedicated practitioner whose goal is to guide his patients (and himself) from rupture to repair. His desire, as expressed in his quote from E.M. Forster, is to "only connect!" And that he does!
Therapist: Wow! I am going to run right out and buy this book!
Patient: (boy, what a Strange Situation!) Great! Better hurry! Enjoy!

Customer Rating: 

At the end of a year in which I have been immersed in integrating my beliefs and theory in order to understand how therapy works, this book is the perfect product to solidify what I had already come to believe. A better integration and explication of theory's clinical application doesn't exist. I feel mirrored as I read Wallin's words, and excited to have a more comprehensive and coherent explanation of what I do as a therapist than I could previously offer. While this book is long and not an easy read, it is fascinating, absorbing, and highly accessible. I plan to tell everyone I know about this book (given that most of the people I know are therapists!).

Customer Rating: 

Wallin took me on an unforgettable journey. The author brings the reader up to speed on the history of attachment theory which prepares one for where he will take you. With an engaging writing style he applies attachment theory to the psychotherapy process. He doesn't try to sell the reader on any one type of therapeutic approach he masterfully helps you understand that attachment issues may be alive and well in many of the clients we work with. As I continued on this journey my positive impression of the book only increased. As I thumb back through the pages there are underlines and markings on nearly every page. From my perspective this is a must read text for those who have found or are searching for the deeper levels of understanding in the therapeutic process both for the client and therapist. Many popular therapeutic approaches attempt to simplify the process and many of us are left wanting. Wallin explores areas of therapy that can truly be healing for all involved. An appropriate level of theory and research is combined with important application making for a book satisfying to read. Highly recommended.