1Viorner Revisited

National Conference (October 6, 1983) from different therapy models at &ious necessarily work right off in therapy (al- that the field of marital therapy has yet points. For instance, in his fourth chapter, though I might talk about these “mis- to come into its own, that many of the “Diagnosing Couples’ Problems,” he takes” differently as new information for techniques and conceptual ideas used in gives no rationale for taking many of the the therapeutic suprasystem) or books treating couples are borrowed from in- conceptual ideas from structural and that do not acknowledge the effects of dividual, behavioral, and family therapy strategic family therapy. Then, in follow- work in the therapy field on personal lives as well as from other models. This book ing chapters there is no explahation of and vice versa. is a good example of Haley’s point. As why he discusses so few of the basic in- The book succeeds in fulfilling Brod- noted on the book jacket, Broderick pre- terventions from these models, which are erick’s expressed purpose of presenting sents a “wealth of tried and true tech- an ongoing part of marital assessment. a distillation of his ideas and techniques niques” for couples with marital diffi- Second, lengthy clinical examples, on triangular therapy from his twenty- culties (not child problems, multigener- which could have helped indirectly to five years of clinical experience (although ational or divorce problems, or individual elucidate underlying principles of Brod- an index of the techniques and the authors symptoms), techniques that he has culled erick’s eclectic model of marital therapy, referenced would have made the book from communication skills training, psy- are not presented. The case excerpts that more useful). These ideas are available choanalysis, structural family therapy, are the most extensive and seem the most in other writings, however, and the field Gestalt therapy, dramatic imagery, and real are all taken from Broderick’s (1979) of marital therapy would have benefited strategic family therapy. Broderick suc- prior book, Couples: How to Confront considerably had Broderick presented ceeds admirably in providing glimpses of Problems and Maintain Loving Relation- them within a conceptual framework that these techniques, using a folksy but clear ships. Dialogues reconstructed through- strengthened the position of eclectic writing style and excellent organization. out the book often seem unauthentic. For models of therapy. ’ Yet, the book does not contribute to the instance, this conversation is used to open development of a stronger and unique the first chapter: References therapeutic framework for marital ther- Broderick, C. B. (1979). Couples: How to “Good morning. This is the Crossroads confront problems and maintain loving apy, for several reasons. Therapy Center. May we help you?” __re-&nr_Np-Yn-L .-e-- First, the underpinning of the book is “I hope so. Do you help straighten out not a coherent theoretical stance on mar- messed up marriages?” riage, change, and therapy, but Parsons’s “What seems to be the trouble?” (1955) four-stage paradigm of socializa- “Everything! My husband and I just don’t tion adapted to the therapeutic process: communicate. He doesn’t support me with (a) unconditional acceptance of behavior, the children. We argue about money all the perceptions, and feelings; (b) uncondi- time. Sex is rotten. Now he’s talking about tional support of each client as a person; leaving, and I think there may be another (c) intervention for change in behavior, woman. Do you think there is any use seeing a counselor? Can you help out of this perceptions, and feelings; and (d) rein- us mess?” (p. 11) 3 -1viorner forcement of new behavior, perceptions, L~G- and feelings. Broderick has divided his Third, although the book acknowl- Revisited book into two parts. The first half deals edges systems thinking indirectly, it does with (a) and (b) and focuses on estab- not tussle with any of the major issues Ernst L. Moerk lishing rapport, providing support, mak- currently being raised in the field-issues The Mother of Eve-As a First ing a diagnosis, and making a contract such as the “braid” of assessment and Language Teacher with the couple. The second half of the intervention versus the more static notion Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1983. book covers (c) and (d) and focuses on of diagnosis, the questioning of the ther- 168 pp. $24.50 achieving and anchoring in change and apist’s role being so instrumental that he Review by disengaging from the therapeutic trian- or she is always regarded as being at the Kenji Hakuta gle; it concludes with a discussion of how top of the hierarchy, therapy discussed training and work in the marital field af- in terms of control and power, or the def- Ernst L. Moerk is professor of psychol- fects the personal life of the therapist. inition of the therapist-couple as a larger ogy at Cali$omia State University, Beginning therapists, particularly those therapeutic suprasystem that needs to be Fresno. He is author of Pragmatic and making the shift from working with in- self-reflexive. It is almost as if this book Semantic Aspects of Early Language dividuals, will find that the sequential had been conceived and written several Development. Kenji Hakuta is associ- chapters on the therapy process, along years ago, before the current foment in ate professor of psychology at Yale with the overview of numerous tech- the field. University. He is coauthor with H. Tager-Flusberg and J. C. de Villiers of niques (e.g., rescripting, reflection, ne- Two of the things I particularly like the chapter “The Development of Sen- gotiating behavioral changes, partitioning about this book are the sections, in most tence Coordination” in S. A. Kuczaj’s the pain, establishing symmetrical rap- of the chapters, titled “All the Things Language Development: Problems, port), provide a good overview of how to That Can Go Wrong” and the concluding Theories and Controversies, Volume 1: move into working within a triadic re- chapter on the intertwining of training Syntax and Semantics. lationship rather than a dyadic one. I be- and work in the field of marital therapy lieve that the book would have been much and in therapists’ private lives. These You can judge the contents of Moerk’s stronger, however, if the author had ex- parts provide a welcome relief from books book quite accurately from the title alone. plained why he chose particular ideas that ignore all of the things that do not Yes, it concerns Eve, of the legendary 744 CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY, 1984, Vol. 29,. No. 9 sufficient empirical evidence (and cer- psychology to other schools of thought- scendence as a crucial element of excep- tainly the authors offer none of their own) Zen, !$ufism, and the shamanism of Cas- tional human well-being, for it elevates to support their claim that they know taneda. What these schooJs share is a consciousness at the expense of human what constitutes successful counseling: challenge to the assumption that “ordi- desire. Steinberg (1975) presents an al- The book is well organized to fulfill nary” consciousness is the only way or ternative ennobling vision: its function as a basic text. With the be- the best way of knowing the world. This But if Judaism will have no traffic with sen- ginner in mind, the authors have taken challenge is posed directly to the reader. ’ sualism in one direction, it turns away from pains to use simple language and explicit Sprinkled throughout the chapters are asceticism in the other. In its view, the body, instructions and to avoid professional jar- paradoxical stories, bding parables, and no less the work of God than the soul, cannot gon. I recommend it as a supplementary an occasional blank space, which push be inherently evil. .. The Tradition in- text that students will thoroughly en- the reader into experiencing rather than sists it is man’s obligation to enjoy joy. simply analyzing these different per- life. Pleasure then,must be not only spectives. Such values as self-transcen- legitimate but mandatory. (pp. 72-73) dence, giving up control, unity with the world, moving beyond attachments, and Nevertheless, the editors are successful Ennobling Visions: equanimity are proposed as alternative in their task. Their book challenges read- bases of exceptional well-being. ers to examine their own views of the East and West The editors identify and acknowledge exceptional life. Moreover, it offers an in- their own biases and those of their con- troduction to Eastern religion for many Roger Walsh and tributors. The book is organized by the readers. Finally, it suggests points of dia- Deane H. Shapiro (Eds.) contributors’ views of the interface be- logue between schools of thought, psy- Beyond Health and Norinality: tween Eastern and Western notions of chological and religious, that have long Explorations of Exceptional mental health. In chapters by Wilber, been separate. Psychological Well-Being Walsh, Deikman, Kornfield, and Coleman and E,pstein, Eastern conceptions of well- Reference New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, Steinberg, M. (1975). Basic]udoism. New \1983. 528 pp. $28.50 being, are described as more advanced, York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. more inclusive, more compelling, and Review by more closely tied to the nature of reality Kenneth I. Pargament than are their Western counterparts. Elsewhere, these schools of thought are Roger Walsh, associate professor in the presented as complementary. Shapiro, for Techniques in Search Department of Psychiatry at the Uni- example, points to the value of both ho- of a Conceptual versity of California (Imine) Medical listic and analytic thought as well as the School, is coeditor of Beyond Ego: knowledge and flexibility to use each Framework Transpersonal Dimensions in Psychol- ogy with E Vaughan. Deane H.

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