Through an extensive review of the available literature and a series of unstructured interviews with psychotherapists in a variety of disciplines, the author has compiled a comprehensive analysis of the motivations and conflicts that lead to the practice of psychotherapy. These motivations are seen as being analogous to the patient's presenting complaint. They therefore determine what gratifies the therapist, and how he or she will conduct the therapy. Thus, unconscious motivations are seen as being responsible both for the choice of career and the ways in which it is practiced.

Four principal areas of unconscious motivations are discussed. The first