Review by Booklist Review
Cozolino sets out to answer a former patient's excellent question: How does psychotherapy actually make you better? As both a practicing clinician and a psychology professor at Pepperdine University, he makes an authoritative guide. He explains that the brain is adapted to err on the side of caution and fear, which is good when it comes to predatory animals but bad when it comes to modern-day mental health. Evolution favors an anxious gene, says psychiatrist Aaron Beck, which is just one of the many wonderful, relevant gems Cozolino shares, from such luminaries as Florence Nightingale and Winston Churchill. Anyone interested in therapy and the brain will find much compelling information here, though occasionally Cozolino writes too wonkily for general readers. Not everyone will feel that the author fully spells out why therapy works, but he certainly takes an intriguing look at how anxiety, stress, and trauma affect the brain and discusses in detail how psychologists can help their patients connect and heal. --Springen, Karen Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This exploration of the workings of psychotherapy is an ambitious but at times disjointed venture. Therapist Cozolino (The Neuroscience of Human Relationships) situates psychotherapy in the neurological underpinnings that unite all living beings-a biological approach that, in his view, places client and therapist on equal ground. Cozolino has been in therapy himself and offers numerous examples of his experiences as both therapist and client, but the emphasis is more on science than specific therapies. While this general approach has the advantage of bypassing therapeutic particulars, it neglects the nuances of different, increasingly specialized treatments. Cozolino can change topics too abruptly, and sometimes his writing seems intended for other therapists rather than for a general audience. Yet his interest in educating laypeople is clear from the "Neuroscience Corner" inserts that appear every few pages, explaining complex neurological concepts. Even if this book's breadth has the potential to overwhelm, it will be useful for anyone seeking to better understand the inner workings of therapy. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
