Mastering the Inner Skills of Psychotherapy
A Deliberate Practice Manual on Building Psychological Capacity
2nd Edition
Will be published approx. on 31. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-1-4338-4500-0 (ISBN)
Description
Now in its second edition, this concise volume helps therapists develop the resilience and flexibility they need to deliver effective therapy.
Clients who are provocative, angry, shut down, or emotionally labile often arouse strong emotional responses in therapists. Without proper training and practice, these experiences can make it difficult for therapists to stay self-aware, attuned, and clinically flexible.
Founded on the principles of deliberate practice, this book presents a clear and concise training plan to help readers identify, develop, and master the inner skills necessary to be effective therapists. Authors Tony Rousmaniere and Joel Jin explain the theory and value of deliberate practice and guide readers through six experiential exercises to help them build psychological capacity. Readers select their own materials for exposure, ranging from movie clips to videotaped therapy sessions, and learn techniques to navigate their emotional reactions.
This second edition includes a new chapter for course instructors, extended and updated research, and expanded clinical resources.
Clients who are provocative, angry, shut down, or emotionally labile often arouse strong emotional responses in therapists. Without proper training and practice, these experiences can make it difficult for therapists to stay self-aware, attuned, and clinically flexible.
Founded on the principles of deliberate practice, this book presents a clear and concise training plan to help readers identify, develop, and master the inner skills necessary to be effective therapists. Authors Tony Rousmaniere and Joel Jin explain the theory and value of deliberate practice and guide readers through six experiential exercises to help them build psychological capacity. Readers select their own materials for exposure, ranging from movie clips to videotaped therapy sessions, and learn techniques to navigate their emotional reactions.
This second edition includes a new chapter for course instructors, extended and updated research, and expanded clinical resources.
Reviews / Votes
"Tony Rousmaniere has a great ability to help therapists learn deliberate practice skills. Not only does Tony have an incredible grasp of the scholarly literature, but he also knows how to make it practical and actionable. This second edition of Mastering the Inner Skills of Psychotherapy is even better than the first. I don't know of another book that addresses ways for therapists to manage their internal reactions within a deliberate practice framework. I'm excited to recommend this to others!" - Ryan B. Seedall, PhD, LMFT, Professor and Director, Marriage and Family Therapy Program, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States"This second edition of Mastering the Inner Skills of Psychotherapy is a tour de force. Tony Rousmaniere is a master storyteller who leads the reader through his own very personal quest to become more than a "good enough" therapist. In the process, Rousmaniere reveals the secrets of deliberate practice in a down-to-earth, accessible, practical, and impactful manner. A must-read for therapists who won't settle for less than bringing forth the best of themselves in the challenging work they do." - Hanna Levenson, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Supervisor, Researcher; Professor Emeritus, The Wright Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
"This book is a substantial contribution to the field of psychotherapy and is uniquely designed to foster deeper reflection and skill development among practitioners committed to mastering their craft. The inner skills of psychotherapy can be nurtured and developed through the deliberate practice exercises included in this essential manual. No other resource in our field today so effectively tackles the therapist as a person and addresses how to enhance our ability to tolerate painful and distressing affect in the room with our clients. Mastering the Inner Skills of Psychotherapy: A Deliberate Practice Manual on Building Psychological Capacity, Second Edition should be required reading for therapists of all levels of training." - Tracy A. Prout, PhD, Licensed Psychologist, IMPACT Psychological Services, Fishkill, NY, United States
More details
Edition
Second Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Washington DC
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
New edition
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 227 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
264 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4338-4500-0 (9781433845000)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD, is the program director of the Sentio Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program and the executive director of the Sentio Counseling Center. He has authored many books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training and is coeditor of the APA book series The Essentials of Deliberate Practice. In 2017, Dr. Rousmaniere published the widely cited article in The Atlantic Monthly, "What Your Therapist Doesn't Know." Dr. Rousmaniere supports the open-data movement and publishes clinical outcome data at drtonyr.com. He is president of Division 29 of the American Psychological Association.
Joel Jin, PhD, is acting assistant professor at the University of Washington's School of Medicine, where he trains family medicine residents in behavioral health skills. He has also trained PhD clinical psychology students in alliance-building, clinical interviewing, experiential dynamic therapy, and attachment-based family therapy at Seattle Pacific University. Dr. Jin is an author of Deliberate Practice in Multicultural Therapy and has published on deliberate practice in the journals Training and Education in Professional Psychology and Practice Innovations. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Washington.
Joel Jin, PhD, is acting assistant professor at the University of Washington's School of Medicine, where he trains family medicine residents in behavioral health skills. He has also trained PhD clinical psychology students in alliance-building, clinical interviewing, experiential dynamic therapy, and attachment-based family therapy at Seattle Pacific University. Dr. Jin is an author of Deliberate Practice in Multicultural Therapy and has published on deliberate practice in the journals Training and Education in Professional Psychology and Practice Innovations. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Washington.
Content
Prologue to the 2nd Edition
Introduction: Building Therapists' Psychological Capacity
Part I. Foundations of Deliberate Practice in Psychotherapy
Chapter 1. A Case Example
Chapter 2. What Is Psychological Capacity?
Chapter 3. Effective Stimuli for Deliberate Practice
Chapter 4. Principles of Building Psychological Capacity
Chapter 5. Training Safely
Part II. Deliberate Practice Exercises for Inner Skills
Exercise 1. Noticing Discomfort
Exercise 2. Redirecting Inner Attention
Exercise 3. Noticing Discomfort While Staying Engaged
Part III. Advanced Deliberate Practice Exercises for Inner Skills
Exercise 4. Getting Back into Capacity
Exercise 5. Expanding Psychological Capacity Using Interval Training
Exercise 6. Customizing Your Deliberate Practice
Part IV. Training Strategy
Chapter 6. Tracking Progress
Chapter 7. Overcoming Common Challenges
Chapter 8. Growing Personally as a Therapist
Chapter 9. Teaching Deliberate Practice in Your Courses
Afterword: Looking Forward
References
Appendix A. Recommended Reading on Deliberate Practice
Appendix B. Self-Regulation Techniques
Appendix C. Deliberate Practice Exercise Form
Appendix D. Sample Videos
Appendix E. Customizing DP Exercises Form
About the Authors
Introduction: Building Therapists' Psychological Capacity
Part I. Foundations of Deliberate Practice in Psychotherapy
Chapter 1. A Case Example
Chapter 2. What Is Psychological Capacity?
Chapter 3. Effective Stimuli for Deliberate Practice
Chapter 4. Principles of Building Psychological Capacity
Chapter 5. Training Safely
Part II. Deliberate Practice Exercises for Inner Skills
Exercise 1. Noticing Discomfort
Exercise 2. Redirecting Inner Attention
Exercise 3. Noticing Discomfort While Staying Engaged
Part III. Advanced Deliberate Practice Exercises for Inner Skills
Exercise 4. Getting Back into Capacity
Exercise 5. Expanding Psychological Capacity Using Interval Training
Exercise 6. Customizing Your Deliberate Practice
Part IV. Training Strategy
Chapter 6. Tracking Progress
Chapter 7. Overcoming Common Challenges
Chapter 8. Growing Personally as a Therapist
Chapter 9. Teaching Deliberate Practice in Your Courses
Afterword: Looking Forward
References
Appendix A. Recommended Reading on Deliberate Practice
Appendix B. Self-Regulation Techniques
Appendix C. Deliberate Practice Exercise Form
Appendix D. Sample Videos
Appendix E. Customizing DP Exercises Form
About the Authors