In this volume, Jerome S. Blackman catalogues 101 defences with descriptions practical for use in the everyday assessment and treatment of psychopathology. He explains how to detect and interpret a defence and offers supportive therapy techniques.

In this book, Blackman catalogs 101defenses with descriptions practical for use in everyday assessment and treatment of patients. Defenses are mental operations that restore or maintain psychic equilibrium when people feel that they cannot manage emotions that stem form conflict; they remove componenets of unpleasant emotions from conscious awareness. In this book, an overview of defenses covering detection and interpretation preceded each entry, all of which are organized in developmental sequence. An original source reference is included with each definition. Short commentaries that follow each entry discuss general concepts about defenses, how they are used in diagnosis of psychopathology, dynamic techniques for the therapist, differential diagnosis and treatment choice, supportive therapy techniques, and defenses in the assessment of suicide risk. Jerome S. Blackman, MD, PC, is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Eastern Virginia Medical School and a training civilian supervisor and consultant to the faculty at the Naval

Introduction. General Concepts about Defenses. Defenses that Arise in the Oral, Anal and Phirst Genital Phases of Psychosexual Development. Latency, Adolescent, and Assorted Defenses. Defenses Used in the Diagnosis of Psychopathology. Interpretative Techniques. Differential Diagnosis and Treatment Selection. Supportive Therapy Techniques. Defenses in the Assessment of Suicidal Propensities. Appendix 1: Schizophrenia: History of Development of Diagnostic Criteria. Appendix 2:
Ego Strengths Assessed in Diagnosis. Appendix 3: Chart: Psychoanalytic Diagnostic Considerations. Appendix 4: A Bit of History of Object Relations Theory. Appendix 5: Bizet's Carmen On the Couch.