Psychotherapy and Medication

<p>Over the past two decades the use of medication combined with psychotherapy or psychoanalysis has shifted from an infrequent occurrence to common practice. Concurrently attitudes toward medication have changed from viewing this intervention as disruptive or as a last resort to a welcome aid in the psychotherapeutic or psychoanalytic process. However this relatively rapid change has created difficulty in the integration of medication use into the psychotherapeutic setting. <em>Psychotherapy and Medication</em> is an exceptionally valuable and timely volume that provides psychoanalysts psychotherapists and other mental health professionals with information on how to work with medication theoretically clinically and technically in the context of a psychotherapeutic or psychoanalytic treatment.</p><p>Important areas of discussion include evidence that a change in the use of medication has taken place an examination of the factors that have led to this shift as well as a review of the issues and questions about combining treatments. <em>Psychotherapy and Medication</em> also serves as a framework in how to best answer the many questions that have arisen as the willingness of analysts to use medication increases. Such significant questions include: How should analysts introduce patients to medication? What are the clinical advantages of combined treatment? What is the impact of medication discussions and prescribing on the analyst’s role and how is this best handled?</p>