Institutionalizing Madness: Families, Therapy, and Society

The heart of this book is a review of the treatment of several families, mostly from various kibbutzim, followed over a period of time. Most had chronic problems, had had intensive psychological therapy, and then were seen in consultation by Dr Minuchin when he was visiting in Israel. An intervention was made that was discussed in some detail, and often long-term follow-up was available. These cases follow an introductory chapter focusing on deinstitutionalizing the treatment of patients with emotional problems. There is a strong focus on the problems inherent in having providers from different disciplines with different frameworks and different explanatory models, and how these different views impact on treatment. The description in the preface that "in the end, the book has become a study of the partial and culture-bound way the mental health field responds to people labeled 'patients'" is an accurate description. The book is interesting, and the