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Eda Goldstein, a long-time clinical practitioner and faculty member at the New York University School of Social Work, is a well-known author and educator in the areas of clinical social work practice. She has written three previous books including Ego Psychology and Social Work Practice (; ), Borderline Disorders: Clinical Models and Techniques , and Short-Term Treatment and Social Work Practice (, with Mary Ellen Noonan), all of which have made major contributions to the social work literature in the area of contemporary psychodynamic practice. Dr. Goldstein states that she has written her newest book, Object Relations Theory and Self Psychology in Social Work Practice, for three reasons. They include her longstanding interest in demonstrating the applicability of psychodynamic theories to social work practice, her use of these theories in her own clinical practice, and because there is little curriculum space allotted in graduate schools of social work nowadays for the teaching of psychodynamic theories. She has written the book “primarily for social work students, practitioners, and educators as well as for trainees and members of other mental health disciplines (p. 13).” Further, while the book “presents these two frameworks as distinctive, it attempts to show how they each can be used in a contemporary way to work with a broad range of clients and client problems” (p. 14).
Dr. Goldstein's task is a daunting one, as she attempts to provide a substantive introduction to two complex theories, or sets of theories, in one volume. She largely succeeds in her task although the book is probably more difficult for the beginner to comprehend than Dr. Goldstein hoped. The text is clearly written throughout, and it can serve as an excellent resource for students and practitioners who have at least a beginning familiarity with psychodynamic theories. Despite its successes, the book has two shortcomings: the author's frequent and sometimes confusing combination of ideas from