Emotion Rituals: A Resource for Therapists and Clients by David W. McMillan. Routledge Press, 2005. 288 p. Available from Amazon or Dr. McMillan’s office.
Many books have appeared for the general public which stress the importance of dealing constructively with emotions to improve one’s personal and professional life. This book also recognizes the importance of emotions but in the therapeutic process. Writing for scholars and students of psychotherapy, Dr. McMillan draws from classic writings on emotion, current research and theory in the fields of neurochemistry and neuropsychology, and his own experience as a practitioner to explore an understanding of emotion in therapy. Through the use of emotion rituals, developed and practiced with the therapist, and then taken into the patient’s daily life, the therapeutic change process can be made more effective.