This book investigates the phenomenon of enactments in psychotherapy, specifically how past traumatic experiences manifest within the clinical relationship. The authors, David Mann and Valerie Cunningham, draw upon extensive clinical experience and psychoanalytic theory to argue that enactments are not merely obstacles to treatment but essential, albeit challenging, opportunities for therapeutic resolution. They provide a framework for clinicians to identify, contain, and process these complex interpersonal repetitions in real-time.

Clinicians and students of psychotherapy frequently cite this work as a vital resource for understanding the complexities of the therapeutic alliance. Experts highlight the text for its practical application of psychoanalytic theory to the difficult, often non-verbal, dynamics of trauma treatment.