Book Summary: The Science of the Art of Psychotherapy, Allan N. Schore, Ph.D. (2012), Norton, New
It is impossible to summarize this book. The best that can be done is to indicate Schore’s intentions: “This book, like all my work, continues to incorporate ongoing studies of the right brain into my developmental and clinical models.” (p.7) and his perspective on therapy, “I see the change mechanism of long-term psychotherapy as being located primarily in the connections between the patient’s prefrontal, cortical, and subcortical areas of the right brain. … models of therapeutic change are now moving from the left brain to right brain, from the mind to the body, and from the central to the autonomic nervous system.” (p8).
Consistent with this attention to the right brain and its role in emotional regulation, there are no references to Ellis (Rational Emotive Therapy), only one to Beck (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and none to modalities such as hypnosis, Rolfing or psychodrama – to name only a few of the many schools which claim to deal with affect, each in its own way. Instead, Schore focusses on trying to answer the question implicit in the statement, “psychotherapy research is no longer concerned with efficacy but rather with how effective change occurs”. He takes as a given that emotionally focussed therapy is effective and then asks what changes occur within the brain to change the client’s world view, his or her sense of self and the ability to manage emotions.
Like many who also have an interest in psychotherapy, Schore states, “all forms of psychotherapy are now articulating the centrality of the therapeutic alliance and turning to attachment theory as the prime theoretical model”. “Within the therapeutic dyad, not left brain verbal explicit patient-therapist discourse but right brain impact nonverbal affect-laden communication directly represents the attachment dynamic.” Our right brain is hooked into the client’s right brain. It becomes important that we feel together rather than simply (or only) understand together.
Several years ago I attended a seminar in which I heard Schore’s description of how the infant’s brain development was directly affected by visual contact with the mother! If it is true that one of the jobs of the therapist is to parent the patient to some degree then this statement continues to have profound meaning for me.
ISBN: 10 0 393706648
