by John Beebe
Beginning therapists often find themselves in a paradox: while supervision, seminars, and consultation are available to support their development, the immediacy of the clinical encounter demands responses before training can fully prepare them. The patient and their predicament are there from the start—urgent, complex, and unpredictable. Clinical situations frequently challenge the therapist in ways no supervisor can entirely anticipate.
A central task of clinical teaching is to help new therapists navigate this threshold: to guide them into therapeutic work with a balance of support and independence. One traditional method has been to recommend reading materials, yet we found that no single book adequately addressed the full spectrum of situations new clinicians are likely to encounter.
In Psychiatric Treatment: Crisis, Clinic and Consultation, part of the Jungianeum Re-Covered Classics in Analytical Psychology Series, we have attempted to fill that gap. Drawing on years of clinical experience, we present a range of theoretical approaches and treatment strategies across three critical settings: crisis intervention, clinical care, and psychiatric consultation.
Through case examples and reflective commentary, this book illuminates the complex interplay between patient, therapist, and institution. It is a resource designed not only to inform, but also to accompany therapists as they begin to make their own clinical decisions.
Whether you're a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or student entering the field, this classic text offers a practical and enduring guide to the art and complexity of psychiatric treatment.
