Psychoanalytic Case Formulation: A Book Review

Psychoanalytic Case Formulation  by Nancy McWiliams

For anyone seeking to improve their understanding of psychoanalysis, or improve their case formulation skills for therapy– this is the book for you.  McWilliams runs through her process in great detail, in regards to forming a case conceptualisation of a patient coming to psychotherapy.  She focuses on the different types of questions she asks both herself and the patient in both the early stages and later stages of therapy.  This book helps frame what kinds of issues and patterns to pay attention to both developmentally and relationally– amongst many others.  It has personally helped me to have an outline at the outset of therapy, and where along that outline we might color in and explore the client’s world, themes, and issues. For any graduate student or newbie therapist– this book is a must.