Product Description

It is very difficult for the student or practitioner to find their way through the jungle of different personality typographies that has sprung up in the field of psychotherapy; and even harder for them to find a point of sufficient height above the forest canopy to get their bearings in order to compare one system with another. This volume offers such an observation point together with some possible mappings. It surveys how different schools of therapy approach a basic topic, the differences that exist between people - including their attitudes, feelings, concerns and talents. It examines different systematic and non-systematic approaches to identifying different types of human being, exploring whether there are systematic ways in which humans vary, how we can assess the merit of different typologies, and whether personality typing is a helpful approach to therapy.

Character and Personality Types looks in detail at the arguments for and against the use of typologies of character and personality as a clinical tool; and offers general criteria for judging the merits of particular personality systems, as well as exploring the possibility of a wider synthesis.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #535028 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

About the Author
Nick Totton originally trained as a post Reichian therapist. He is strongly influenced by Process Oriented Psychology (Arnold Mindell) and psychoanalysis (he has a MA in Psychoanlytic Studies from Leeds Metropolitan University). Nick now practises and teaches his own synthesis, Embodied-Relational Therapy.

Michael Jacobs retired in 2000 as Director of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Programme at the University of Leicester, having worked there for 28 years. He is now an independent consultant in psychotherapy and counselling, Fellow of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and a writer of a large number of key texts used in training.

Customer Reviews

Bringing order to a confused topic
My interest is in the use of personality types in the workplace, so I may not be from the authors' preferred audience for this book, which is written by therapists, for therapists or therapy students. However, similar problems apply in the workplace, where a range of typologies are in popular use, each with its own rather blinkered proponents. This book is very worthwhile, bringing order to the topic in a readable and clear manner. The reasons why we should define people in terms of character types at all are examined, and the main approaches summarised.

However, despite these attactions it should be noted that the book is very short - only 119 pages of text. Some elements, particularly post-Reichian character positions and Jungian structures, appear to get a more thorough treatment than others which are covered very briefly, presumably on the basis of the authors' personal interests.

The final chapter makes some rather tentative attempts to find grounds for integrating different theories. I wasn't convinced, but also felt that more could perhaps have been said. If I use one model as a primary categorisation, what might the other models usefully tell me in addition? I'll have to work that out for myself.

Very useful overview of a complex area
Clear, thought-provoking, well-written. An excellent introduction for students of psychotherapy and counselling with plently to take away and help develope your own views rather than a simple DIY manual of psychological types.