Sanjidah 
Format: Kindle edition, 256 pages
Published: 15 October 2013 by Routledge (first published 1 April 1985)
Genre: Psychology, counselling, psychoanalysis
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On Learning from the Patient is concerned with the potential for psychoanalytic thinking to become self-perpetuating. Patrick Casement explores the dynamics of the helping relationship – learning to recognize how patients offer cues to the therapeutic experience that they are unconsciously in search of. Using many telling clinical examples, he illustrates how, through trial identification, he has learned to monitor the implications of his own contributions to a session from the viewpoint of the patient. He shows how, with the aid of this internal supervision, many initial failures to respond appropriately can be remedied and even used to the benefit of the therapeutic work. By learning to better distinguish what helps the therapeutic process from what hinders it, ways are discovered to avoid the circularity of pre-conception by analysts who aim to understand the unconscious of others. From this lively examination of key clinical issues, the author comes to see psychoanalytic therapy as a process of re-discovering theory – and developing a technique that is more specifically related to the individual patient.
I’ve read books by many psychologists, psychoanalysts and psychotherapists; this is definitely one that stands out for me for many reasons. Casement’s insight into this patients’ situations is incredible, and the highlight is his humility and ability to admit where he may have gone wrong is incredibly helpful for others wishing to learn from his mistakes. Even in the counselling world, where one would hope to find transparent and self-aware practitioners, Casement’s reflections stand out for their honesty.
I read this book prior to engaging in Masters level study, and I found this book incredibly accessible, not in a patronising way but just in a way that makes it easy to dip in and out of when you have a spare few minutes on the train etc. Casement doesn’t use language or terminology that is difficult for students to understand, which broadens the reach of this book.
I would recommend this book to trainee and professional counsellors from all backgrounds as I’m sure everyone could take a few things away from this book.
