`provides a reliable and sensitive guide through this complex field, and is written with great clarity... accessible and self-evidently useful... Jacobs book encouraged me to ponder cases of my own... outstanding - Counselling, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling
`a clear and coherent account... This is one of a very small number of books that manage to describe simply but not simplistically what analytic work involves - British Journal of Medical Psychology
`a well-written book, clearly organised, and has the facility of making very understandable and workable what are difficult and profound concepts... brilliant, enlightening, practical... tantalising, I wanted more... a gem of a book... This is one of the best books I have read in explaining what psychodynamic counselling is all about... Jacobs shows an ability to dissect difficult concepts and put them in understandable terms. Explanations are never patronising... This is a definite for counsellors of any persuasion. There is lots to be learned by all. It goes immediately on to my recommended books list for students at all stages of learning about counselling - British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
`Lovers of Dickens will be intrigued by the clever use of Little Nell and Dr Manette as case histories characters - The Samaritan
`I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is easy to read and gives a useful and simple explanation of psychodynamic terms. Its explanation of counselling terms and techniques is concise and thorough. I found the very clear explanation of the interface between psychodynamic therapy and counselling well organized and well written in a clear and sensitive way. I particulary liked the explanation of the term `worked through: this term is commonly used but very rarely explained in most books. This is a very complex field and I admire Jacobs practical way of dealing with the subject. I recommend the book both to students of the psychodynamic approach and students of counselling; it covers both fields in a practical sense but retains the ability to stimulate deeper thought for the practitioner and workers in associated fields - British Psychological Society Counselling Psychology Review
