Robert W. Firestone - Voice Therapy: A Psychotherapeutic Approach to Self-Destructive Behavior

The author would like to express his appreciation to Joyce Catlett, M.A., associate and collaborative writer, who worked closely with me at every stage in the production of this book and added greatly to its intellectual background. I would like to thank Dr. Richard Seiden for his insights in the field of suicidology and his collaboration on two theoretical papers quoted in this work. I am grateful also to Dr. Jerome Nathan, Susan Short, M.A., and Lisa Firestone, M.A., who researched relevant material in the literature; to Anne Baker, Catherine Cagan, Eileen Tobe, and JoEllyn Barrington for their help in producing the final draft; and to Geoff Parr, who helped prepare the documentary film material referenced in this work.

Lastly, but most importantly, I want to acknowledge the Glendon Association, a large group of friends, former patients, and associates, who have employed me for the past ten years, contributed their support to the continuing investigations, and financed the production of documentary films and the dissemination of the many books and articles stating my theoretical views.

I thank them for their devotion to learning in the field of psychology, their personal quest for self-development and individual identity, and their openness and honesty in revealing their personal truths. Of even greater significance, I am appreciative to them for their ongoing participation in the study and growing body of knowledge about the voice process, fantasy bond, and other important concepts. Together they have created a unique psychological laboratory to investigate the psychopathology of everyday life in a normal or relatively healthy population. They have encouraged me to communicate my ideas to the professional community at large and have been strongly motivated to share their insights with others so that they may benefit from their experiences.

The names, places, and other identifying facts contained herein have been fictionalized and no similarity to any persons, living or dead, is intended. In the filmed material, names were not fictionalized, as individuals specifically requested that their names remain unchanged, and first names were retained.

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The author gratefully acknowledges permission to reprint the following:

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from Cognitive Therapy Of Depression, by Aaron T. Beck, A. John Rush, Brian F. Shaw, and Gary Emery. Copyright 1979 by Aaron T. Beck, A. John Rush, Brian F. Shaw, and Gary Emery. Reprinted by permission of The Guilford Press.

from Attachment and Loss, Volume III: Loss, Sadness and Depression by John Bowlby. Copyright 1980 by The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations. Reprinted by permission of Basic Books, Inc., Publishers.

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