The Use of Self in Therapy

One of the most powerful factors in therapy is that it involves the intensive relationship between two (or more) human beings. The issues of transparency and self-disclosure therefore become important concerns for therapists; how can they use themselves effectively in their work without transgressing on professional regulations? These issues and concerns are addressed in this new edition of The Use of Self in Therapy by experienced therapists, who share their own wisdom, research, and experiences in valuable ways. Disregarding methodology or approach, the authors demonstrate how to train and develop the self and person of the therapist as a powerful adjunct to successful therapy. They enable practitioners to become more effective in helping their clients to realize and regain their own powers of healing and healthy recovery. This 3rd edition also examines the impact of increasing professional regulation, as well as the impact of the internet and social media on the conduct of therapy. Also new to this edition are discussions of how therapists can use themselves in cultures that are less individually-oriented. This book is a valuable addition to any therapist’s library and therapy supervisor’s teaching arsenal.

“"Already a perennial classic in the field, Mich”

èle Baldwin re-weaves and updates a richly diverse and substantial discussion of the essential dynamic at the heart of ALL effective therapy: the self and personhood of the therapist. While still rooted in the solid philosophical ground of her previous editions, Baldwin assembles a cast of both new and familiar author voices that make this spirited reading and by turns deeply stirring and contemplative, funny and provocative, personally affecting, and academically rigorous. It is book that clarifies, informs, and ultimately inspires." - Timothy F. Dwyer, PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist; Associate Professor of Counseling, Loyola University, New Orleans

"With the clinical field focused on evidence-based practice and intervention techniques, this new edition could not be more timely. In this valuable collection, Michèle Baldwin and her colleagues remind us that the therapeutic relationship is at the heart of the process of change. Flowing out of the wellspring of innovations by Virginia Satir and other family therapy pioneers, the volume explores how the person of the therapist powerfully influences all transactions and how we can best use ourselves, in collaborative efforts with our clients, to foster their personal and relational wellbeing and positive growth." - Froma Walsh, PhD, Co-Director, Chicago Center for Family Health; Mose & Sylvia Firestone Professor Emerita, The University of Chicago; Author, Strengthening Family Resilience, 2e

"Therapy is about change and, as good therapists, we cannot help but be changed ourselves. Contained in this work are the essentials of wisdom from masters in the field that help us utilize those changes that lead to our wholesome growth and great therapeutic work." - Terry D. Hargrave, PhD, Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, Fuller Theological Seminary, California

"The Use of Self in Therapy is a marvelous exploration of a much too often ignored aspect of treatment, the role of the therapist as a person in psychotherapy. Lost in the plethora of evidence-based methods today is that psychotherapy is very much about a shared experience between client and therapist; an experience in which who the therapist is and what is shared matters as much as the methods employed. Baldwin and colleagues have written the book for learning about this essential territory. They fully illuminate a wide range of aspects of this topic and multiple perspectives about it, ranging from the seminal ideas of iconic therapists such as Carl Rogers and Virginia Satir, to the latest considerations, such as its application in cyber-therapy." - Jay Lebow, PhD, ABPP, Clinical Professor, Family Institute at Northwestern, Illinois

Michèle Baldwin, MSSW, PhD, is a faculty member of the Family Institute at Northwestern University and a faculty member of the Chicago Center for Family Health. She also conducts a limited practice of marriage and family therapy.

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