Layman’s Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis

Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis by Eric Berne MDThis book is an updated and revised edition of Dr. Berne’s first book, The Mind in Action.  The Mind in Action was originally published in 1947.  The Layman’s Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis was published in 1957, the year in which Dr. Berne first published his first papers on Transactional Analysis.

In this book, Dr. Berne explores a number of topics in a manner that can be understand by non-psychiatrists.  The subjects he chooses to discuss are subjects that he was frequently asked about in his many lectures and talks with laypeople.  He discusses the development of the human brain, why people dream, neuroses, the basis of psychoanalysis, and many other subjects.

Although this book does not address Transactional Analysis, it is an excellent reference for those interested in an introduction to psychiatry.

The most recent edition – and the one most readily available in the United States in English – is available on Amazon here.