Trusting in Psychotherapy is an important book that fills a lamentable void: although virtually everyone-therapists, students, and patients alike--believes that trust is the foundation of psychotherapy, the topic has been neglected in the psychiatric literature, to the detriment of the therapeutic relationship. The author, who brings five decades of study and practice to the enterprise, posits that cultivating trusting psychotherapy bonds--especially for patients who have experienced developmental trauma in close relationships--is complex, challenging, and a critically important topic for examination. Whereas therapists are inclined to focus on patients' problems with trust, the author argues that trusting cannot be understood apart from trustworthiness and that therapists should give equal attention to the task of becoming trustworthy to their patients. Blending developmental science and ethical thought in an interdisciplinary spirit, the author draws on contemporary writings of philosophers to elucidate the concepts of trust and trustworthiness. What it means to trust in the practice of psychotherapy; the many facets of trusting and trustworthiness; attachment relationships, both secure and insecure; the central role of hope in trust; and the ethical-moral basis of trusting and trustworthiness--these and other topics are addressed with competence and care. Intellectually engaging and designed to provoke thought, the book: - Offers a broadly developmental perspective, reflecting the belief that attachment trauma plays a profound role in many severe psychiatric disorders and emphasizing that the resulting and pervasive distrust and social alienation pose significant obstacles to developing therapeutic connections. - Provides an overview of the professional literature on developing expertise in conducting psychotherapy, with discussion of current research. Addresses the proliferation of new therapies in the context of competing schools of thought and what this proliferation means for the therapist caught between science and practice, academics and clinicians. - Is aimed chiefly at psychotherapists, yet its conversational, generally nontechnical style makes it accessible to those who are not mental health professionals, including patients who might wish to listen in on the conversation and families who desire a more complete understanding of the therapeutic process. - Includes key points at the end of each chapter to help the reader stay oriented and focused on the most important concepts. Trusting in Psychotherapy argues persuasively that we should shift the balance of our efforts from developing therapies to developing therapists, a view that deserves to inform mental health research and thought leadership. Solidly grounded in contemporary research, yet appealing to therapists who prioritize the patient-therapist relationship, Trusting in Psychotherapy presents psychotherapy as a craft and embraces the developmental perspective that mastery is the work of a lifetime. In a graceful, conversational style, the author, a psychologist with more than 50 years of experience in both outpatient and hospital practice, melds the scientific and academic with the humanistic and clinical. He contends that the continual development of countless brands of therapy, to the relative neglect of the personal and professional development of therapists, has been detrimental to the practice and progress of psychotherapy. Without questioning their character and motivation, he challenges therapists to focus on becoming trustworthy in each therapeutic relationship. Incorporating diverse theoretical perspectives, the author addresses generalist psychotherapists who work with patients for whom trusting is problematic, but in its comprehensive understanding written in plain language, the book is potentially of interest to anyone interested in the promotion of trust and trustworthiness in social relationships. The author emphasizes that trust must be created anew in each relationship, and it must be developed, maintained, and repaired when disrupted. Trusting in Psychotherapy is that rare book that speaks to both sides of the therapeutic compact, and its wisdom, rigor, and compassion are as refreshing as they are edifying. Jon G. Allen, Ph.D., is Clinical Professor of the voluntary faculty in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine, a member of the faculty emeriti at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies in Houston, and an adjunct faculty member of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center.