Synopsis The book “Psychotherapy (Sattvavajaya Chikitsa) in Ayurveda” written by the well known author Professor Ajay Kumar Sharma & Associates is a complete and comprehensive treatise on the subject. This is the first book in English which deals with the subject in all completeness and clarity covering all aspects of “Psychotherapy” as descried in various modern medical texts and various treatise of Ayurveda. The entire text is richly supported with original reference from Ayurvedic classics. Latest information regarding Psychotherapy has been incorporated with the objective of providing basic knowledge to readers. The book is meant especially for Ayurvedic students, physicians and teachers for creating awareness among masses about the dependable holistic approach of Ayurveda in the management and prevention of  “Mental Diseases.”

Ayurveda has always laid a special emphasis on the maintenance and promotion of health and prevention of disease rather than on the curative aspects. In modern science of medicine continuous and prolonged use of sedatives, tranquilizers, anxiolytics and hypnotics for treating various mental ailments has resulted in rebound phenomenon and drug dependence causing further frustration and decline in mental health status. Ayurveda propounds many methods to boost up mental health. The available literature in Ayurvedic texts regarding mental health and mental disorders is very little and in a scattered form. Although pharmacological management for certain mental disorders has been described elaborately but description of non-pharmacological approach to develop an alternate non-pharmacological management is very brief. Therefore, there is a dire need to develop an alternate non-pharmacological approach equivalent to psychotherapy of modern medicine for the management of mental diseases. On the basis of description and similarities in the approaches of both systems of medicine, Sattvavajaya Chikitsa of Ayurveda can be developed as and Ayurvedic substitute for modern psychotherapy. The principles of psychotherapeutic management of various mental disorders as described in Ayurvedic classics and allied literature can be modulated in a form, which can serve the purpose of psychotherapy.