From Chaos to Coherence : Psychotherapy with a Little Boy with ADHD

ISBN-13: 9781855753457 / Angielski / Miękka / 2004 / 256 str.

Elisabeth Cleve; Pamela Boston

Opis

-...I am flooded with warmth for this little expert on the art of living, who has just realised that even he has the possibility to live a long life. My interpretation is that he trusts he will get the time he needs in therapy to reach, first adulthood, and, then, old age. Right now he believes he will continue to be in therapy for the rest of his life. He cannot imagine that it is going to come to an end. However, I have started to think about when we will have to part and I am not looking forward to it...-

-From Chaos to Coherence- is the true story, told in everyday language, of the adopted boy Douglas and his journey towards adulthood with the help of psychotherapy. Douglas has severe psychic, physical and social handicaps and is also diagnosed with ADHD. He is impulse-governed, aggressive, provocative and unable to interact with other children. He begins psychotherapy at the age of seven and continues weekly sessions for the next seven years.

The reader is invited into the child psychotherapy room to follow the work of Douglas and his therapist, author Elisabeth Cleve. The therapy can be described as physically intense work that evokes strong emotions in both Douglas and the therapist. We get to learn about their inner feelings, thoughts and actions during the different phases of the treatment.

The story of Douglas captivates the reader and provides an understanding of what is going on inside a troubled little boy. This beautifully written account of successful psychotherapy is painfully honest at times and manages to bring the therapy sessions to life for the reader. -From Chaos to Coherence- is an important book and vital reading not only for all involved in children's psychotherapy, but for all of us in search of a humane, informative and touching book.

Spis treści

Foreword -- Introduction -- Our first meeting in the waiting room -- Douglas's life history -- The psychological assessment -- The first year of psychotherapy -- The second year -- The third year -- The fourth year -- The fifth year -- The sixth year -- The seventh and last year of psychotherapy -- Has it been worth it? -- Psychotherapy for children with emotional and neuropsychiatric disturbances -- Concluding remarks -- Tests used for the psychological assessment -- Criteria for ADHD according to diagnostic manual DSM-IV

O autorze

Elisabeth Cleve was born in 1946 in Stockholm, Sweden, where she was educated at the Erica Founcation, a training centre for psychotherapists specializing in children and adolescents. She is a licensed psychologist and psychotherapist for children and young people, a specialist in clinical psychology, a supervisor and an author. Her publications include 'From Chaos to Coherence. Psychotherapy with a boy with ADHD' (Karnac, 2004) and, with Britta Blomberg, 'The Machover Test. A Handbook with Theoretical Perspectives' (Psykologifoerlaget AB, 1997).