Ghost Busting: re-introducing psychotherapy for the psychiatrist.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a clinically relevant historical and conceptual overview of psychotherapy as an introduction to a forthcoming series of papers on specific models of psychotherapy. The author offers a selective review of some key ideas in the history and practice of psychotherapy. The principles of psychotherapy should inform all psychiatric practice, including the doctor-patient relationship, multidisciplinary teams caring for patients with complex or 'treatment resistant' problems, and patients who are non-compliant with psychotropic medication.