Integrating Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy: Dissolving the Mind-Brain Barrier

Bernard D. Beitman, Barton J. Blinder, Michael E. Thase, Debra L. Safer

Reviews:

"A highly relevant and instructive book that will be of value to residents and practing psychiatrists alike." —Psychiatric Services

 

Overview Contents Introduction

The authors of this book are searching for a language common to both mind and brain. This language will develop through innovative clinical activity and our reflections upon it. This book invites the reader to participate in a major initiative of the 21st century: dissolving Cartesian mind-brain dualism.

This book will help all mental health clinicians to dissolve their conceptual mind/brain barriers by recognizing the reciprocal influences of psychological and pharmacological interventions. This task is approached by challenging the reader to respond to thought-provoking questions and problematic case vignettes in the following subject areas: combined treatment research, pharmacotherapy during psychotherapy, psychotherapy during pharmacotherapy, the pharmacotherapy-psychotherapy triangle and integrated treatment algorithms. Each of these homework-based sections is introduced by a brief overview. Part I invites the reader to an overview of these many issues. Topics covered include: 1) research in combined treatments, 2) pharmacotherapy during psychotherapy, 3) psychotherapeutic aspects of pharmacotherapy, 4) the pharmacotherapy-psychotherapy triangle, 5) treatment algorithms for combined treatments, and 6) the neurobiology of psychotherapy. With thought-provoking questions and vignettes of problematic cases, the authors invite readers to participate in working out these complicated issues. Part II provides cutting edge information on issues of integrated and split treatment and psychodynamic neurobiology. Answers to the problems are provided at the end of the book. Two additional chapters thoroughly review the research in combined treatments and what is known about the neurobiology of psychotherapy.

Advance Acclaim

'Beitman has done it again! His earlier book, Learning Psychotherapy, created a revolution in psychotherapy training. Now Integrating Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy boldly goes where no clinician has ventured before! It enables mental health professionals to grasp the essential relations between mind and the brain, advancing our knowledge of both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. I recommend it most highly!'
—Glenn E. Good, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology
University of Missouri-Columbia

'This work advances the curriculum introduced by Dr. Beitman in his seminal work Learning Psychotherapy. Here he and his colleagues employ similar heuristic techniques to instruct us in the application of psychotherapeutic principles to the pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric patients. Beitman and colleagues dissect the essentials of this process, examine the indications for combined psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic treatment by a single practitioner, and present a neurobiological formulation of the mental processes targeted by psychiatric treatment. This book represents another giant step toward a rational and verifiable understanding of what constitutes effective psychiatric therapy.'
—George Tesar, M.D., Chairman, Department of Psychiatry & Psychology Cleveland Clinic Foundation

'Dr. Beitman once again demonstrates his special talent for providing practical, engaging and interactive methods which simplify and educate about the complexities of psychotherapy and its universal application. This is a splendid book for clinicians and psychiatric educators alike.'
—Marcia Kraft Goin, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, and President-elect, American Psychiatric Association

About the Authors

Bernard D. Beitman, M.D., is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a member of the Committee on Psychotherapy by Psychiatrists of the American Psychiatric Association.

Barton J. Blinder, M.D., Ph.D., is Clinical Professor, Director, Eating Disorder Research, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, College of Medicine, University of California, Irvine.

Michael E. Thase, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.

Michelle Riba, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Associate Chair for Education and Academic Affairs, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan.

Debra L. Safer, M.D., is Associate Director of Residency Training and Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine.

ISBN: 0-393-70403-3
October 2002
240 pages