The title of the book is rather a misnomer as it implies discussing placebo effects within all psychotherapies when in fact it is concentrating on some particular aspects (insights and interpretations) in one particular model of psychotherapy (psychodynamic or psychoanalytical). To quote the author: The main hypothesis defended in this work is a conceptual rather than an empirical one: namely, that some therapeutic changes in the psychodynamic psychotherapies are functions of powerful placebos that rally the mind's natural healing powers, rather than the functions of the hypothesized characteristic factors of the treatment methods of psychodynamic psychotherapies.' (p. 203) The author discusses placebo effects comprehensively, taking into account historical and empirical evidence, especially in medicine and pharmacology. It would be a useful book to read for that purpose alone.
展开▼
