Twenty-five years ago, Joseph Lichtenberg published The Talking Cure: A Descriptive Guide to Psychoanalysis as an introduction to the field for both potential patients and clinicians. He now offers a new book, updated to reflect his view of crucial changes in the population of patients presenting for psychotherapy and consequent changes in therapy itself.

In Craft and Spirit, Lichtenberg explains that, in contrast to the past, when most patients were struggling with neurotic, unconscious conflicts that led to symptoms and character problems, he