From Breakdown to Breakthrough Psychoanalytic Treatment of Psychosis

'While reading From Breakdown to Breakthrough, my highlighting pen rarely left my hand, so much was there to note and remember. With crystal clarity and great style, the authors thoroughly refute the despairing deficit model of psychosis by offering a brilliant theoretical synthesis supported with a wealth of references and tied to a potent and practical approach to understanding and responding to the language of the disorder. Their powerful arguments are given felt resonance through many profound and poignant case histories. This book is a victory for the psychoanalytic treatment of psychosis, and I found myself applauding nearly every page.Mental health practitioners of all types, especially early career psychotherapists, will be greatly helped in knowing how to treat those deemed unreachable as they learn to decipher and work with symptoms as forms of communication.'

Francoise Davoine, Ph.D., French psychoanalyst and co-author of History Beyond Trauma

'From Breakdown to Breakthrough is a passionate, responsive, and highly educated exploration and sharing of psychological work with psychosis, emphasizing intricacies of the therapy relationship, its nuances and possibilities. Psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, and relational perspectives open doors of contact, healing, and growth. This book is a beautiful exposition and affirmation of ways the human spirit connects with difficult, often seemingly intractable, states as it supports and mediates transformative processes.'

Michael Eigen, Ph.D., is a psychoanalyst and author of The Psychotic Core, The Sensitive Self, and Contact with the Depths

'This is a terrific book! Knafo and Selzer are master clinicians who work with the skill, determination, patience, and grace required to give patients who are in psychological retreat from consensual reality an opportunity to risk re-entering a world they came to find too difficult to bear. The authors present a persuasive case for regarding psychotic symptoms as essential sources of information that provide a foundation for the patient's treatment. They illustrate their approach with many clear and moving clinical examples. They share their intuitions, formulations, and decisions as their work unfolds with individual patients. The book is full of clinical wisdom, important ideas, and practical advice. It is certain to be of value to experienced clinicians and early-career psychotherapists alike.'

Michael Garrett, M.D., psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and author, Psychotherapy for Psychosis

'From Breakdown to Breakthrough is a wonderful book based on extenstive knowledge and experience, which clearly outlines a potent psychodynamic approach to assist persons suffering psychosis in achieving a fuller life. Both novice and veteran mental health professionals will gain useful insights from any of the chapters.The book is written in a style that will readily engage the reader and, in doing so, also demonstrate much better ways of engaging with one's patients.'

Brian Martindale, M.D., psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in the UK, past president of the International Society for the Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (ISPS)