"This brave and intriguing book raises deeply important questions. Any powerful weapon can be used for good or for ill. That is certainly the case with psychotherapy. Off the Tracks chronicles many missteps, but ends with a clear vision of a way forward. if psychiatry has any sense, it will follow where Drs. Berman and Mosher lead." -TM Luhrmann, Watkins University Professor, Anthropology Department, Stanford University, Author, Of Two Mind"Off the Tracks: Cautionary Tales About the Derailing of Mental Health Care delivers more than its title. It is both a stimulating, accessible read and a highly researched, valuable, and thought provoking work. It will appeal to both professionals and the general public. The authors' thesis, that treatment relationships are a powerful force in and of itself, is illustrated by extensive narrative examples of various theoretical approaches of mismanaged relationships that harmed patients. The authors include physical treatments since they too involve clinical judgments. The range of examples in the study is extensive. Off the Tracks will intrigue and enrich all readers."-Judith Schachter, Former President, American Psychoanalytic Association (1994-1996)

"Mental health services are badly needed (and do much good), but have sometimes gone off the rails. This entertaining and accurate history tells many of these stories, each of which is a lesson in the dangers of naivete and hubris."-Joel Paris, Emeritus Professorof Psychiatry, McGill University;