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Barry Farber has written a scholarly, readable, and comprehensive book on self-disclosure in psychotherapy. His integration of research, theory, and practice results in a thorough examination of self-disclosure at all levels in clinical work from the perspectives of patient, therapist, supervisor, and supervisee. His ability to differentiate myths from facts, and relate concerns to experiences creates a cohesive, thought-provoking treatise important for any individual practitioner or teacher of clinicians to read. Farber punctuates with writing from all disciplines and uses literary and dramatic allusions that are intelligent, metaphorically to the point, and recognizable to the reader. The result is a valuable contribution to the literature of clinical practice, especially for those involved in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic work. While Farber makes an effort to include research and examples from the broader psychotherapy field, his emphasis is clearly on in-depth work, relational theory and technique.
Farber begins by describing the nature of self-disclosure, itself. This discussion is followed by chapters on clinical and research perspectives on patient disclosures to therapists. Outcome controversies are presented next, followed by multicultural perspectives on patient self-disclosure. Finally, there are chapters on the history, as well as clinical and research perspectives relating to therapist disclosures to patients. The final chapter is a comprehensive discussion of disclosure in supervision by both supervisee and supervisor. Farber seems to have addressed every aspect of his subject area in depth, while the tension between concealment and disclosure in each section is foreshadowed by apt quotes.
In Chapter One, Farber speaks to three points explaining why now is an important time to reconsider the concept of disclosure in therapeutic relationships and supervisions. He says that since 9/11 and in the aftermath of Katrina, there has been an escalation in t