Three Psychotherapies: A Clinical Comparison. By Clemens A. Loew, Ph. D., Henry Grayson, Ph. D., and Gloria Heiman Loew, Ph. D. New York:  Brunner/Mazel, 1975.  xix + 268 pp.

Editors Loew, Grayson, and Loew, and their associates have written a timely book comparing three popular present-day psychotherapies-behavior, gestalt, and psychoanalysis. Representatives of each of these schools contribute chapters: on behavior therapy, Herbert Fensterheim, Ph. D., Leo J. Reyna, Ph. D., Arnold A. Lazarus, Ph. D., and Melvyn Hollander, Ph. D.; on the gestalt approach, Michael Kriegsfeld, Ph. D., Miriam Polster, Ph. D., Rainette Eden Fantz, Ph. D., and Joseph C. Zinker, Ph. D.; and on psychoanalysis, Leon Salzman, M. D., Paul Stark, Ph. D. and Bennett Simon, M. D. The foreword-an important one-is by Lewis R. Wolberg, M. D.

Part I, co-authored by Yael Danieli, Ph. D. and the first two editors is concerned with background and orientation; a separate chapter is devoted to the conceptual-theoretical framework of each psychotherapeutic modality discussed in the book. The remaining three sections are devoted to applications of the three treatment approaches in different categories of cases and critical comparisons by the editors.

Each clinical section is introduced by a case history. The first two cases, one of an obsessive compulsive woman and the other of a man identified as a schizoid personality, are discussed by a proponent of each school. On the other hand, the third case, that of a young married woman suffering from frigidity, is discussed by two proponents of each school, the stated purpose being to “illustrate comparisons not only between different treatment approaches but also within modalities” (p. v.). Why this dual comparison was not pursued in the other cases is not explained.

The book is readable, written by and large in a relaxed, clear style, with refreshing candor and lack of pretentiousness. The reader is given an understanding of the differences and similarities in theory, general approach, and techniques of the forms of therapy described.

The case presentations from which the contributors jump off to discuss their views and respective clin