Essentials of Contemporary Psychodermatology

Psychodermatology provides an organized and comprehensive understanding of the complex and fascinating relationship between the psyche and the soma. The authors incorporate behavioural medicine, psychodynamic theories and psychoneuroimmunology within the context of a modern philosophy of science to create both a novel and practical means of understanding the way the mind and skin interact. This synergistic approach is thus truly interdisciplinary and combines both a theoretical and practical framework for working with and understanding patients. Through the use of numerous case examples, the richness of this way of thinking about skin disease becomes manifest and a more effective means of treating patients emerges. The book also provides a thorough review of psychocutaneous illness with an extensive section on the different treatment modalities currently available. The authors, both clinicians, are particularly interested in illustrating how to actually work with these patients and provide detailed chapters on model treatment clinics and how to teach psychodermatology. The book culminates in the presentation of future trends on the way towards an interdisciplinary psychodermatotherapy. For all of those reasons, Psychodermatology is an excellent introduction for all clinicians and scientists in the fields of dermatology, psychiatry and psychology as well as a thought-provoking text for those already active in this area.