Trouble in Mind

"Written for the medical student and the psychiatric resident and the psychology and social work intern. For those readers, it is a masterly summary of what we know about the normal brain, and how it goes awry."

"A masterly summary of what we know about the normal brain, and how it goes awry."

"Trouble in Mind is rich with ideas and I think that it will become a classic of non-mainstream psychiatric thinking."

"MacKinnon is a wonderful guide and interpreter... an excellent resource for new trainees, and experienced clinicians."

"Dean MacKinnon has written an ambitious book for psychiatrists and psychologists, and indeed for the interested general reader. Most texts that address normal brain function keep it compartmentalized in separate chapters (often written by separate authors) from theories of psychopathology. Such texts almost never take on the risky project of connecting neurobiology with concepts of mind. MacKinnon has made rich connections that will fire the imagination of clinicians, giving them a way to situate human experience in the function and malfunction of our brains."

"Dr. MacKinnon's thoughtful and provocative book begins with the premise that 'psychiatry has no coherent concept of mind' and that the orthodox approach to psychiatric diagnosis neglects the nature of mind and mental illness. As an alternative to the superficial symptom checklists of the DSMs, MacKinnon provides a richly detailed model for understanding both our mental life and its breakdown in various forms of mental illness. By conceptualizing 'mind' as a function of brain, MacKinnon is able to present a compelling and systematic account of our mental life, in both health and disease. He gives due weight to both biological and humanistic modes of explaining psychiatric illness, and his book will greatly enrich the understanding of trainees and seasoned clinicians alike."