The Brief Psychotherapies

Abstract

It is customary in overview chapters to dramatically proclaim that the subject matter of the work, in this case the brief, short-term or time-limited psychotherapies, has "come of age." For better or worse, it is far too late to say this about the brief psychotherapies. They have been in active existence for 30 to 40 years and may more aptly be characterized as facing middle age, perhaps even a midlife crisis. The early roots of brief therapy can be traced back even further and, around the turn of the century, a former patient—a symphonic conductor suffering from psychogenic pain in his conducting arm—described the key session in his brief therapeutic treatment in the following words: His advice was—to conduct. "But I can't move my arm." "Try it, at any rate." "And what if I should have to stop?" "You won't have to stop." "Can I take upon myself the responsibility of possibly upsetting a performance?" "I'll take the responsibility." And so I did a little conducting with my right arm, then with my left, and occasionally with my head. There were times when I forgot my arm over the music.... So, by dint of much effort and confidence, by learning and forgetting, I finally succeeded in finding my way back to my profession. (Walter, 1946, pp. 167–168)