Critical Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling ― Implications for Practice

There is increasing concern about the growing state influences on the talking therapies. Critical Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling: Implications for Practice is a response to that concern. The book assesses the use of the word 'critical' as a prefix for psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and counselling and contributes to an understanding of issues such as capital governance, power and social inequalities, and their influence on the provision of the talking therapies in our neoliberal society.

In this ground-breaking book, authors from Europe and North America are brought together to offer a background to critical movements in the mental health fields as well as a consideration of what psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and counselling can learn from them. The chapters look at what 'critical' means in terms of both theory and practice, from perspectives such as queer theory, feminism, Marxism, and users of talking therapies, and explores implications for training and education in the talking therapies. This book will be of interest to practitioners and students in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, counselling and counselling psychology as it is not only a welcome exploration of the way in which the state influences the talking therapies, but also encourages critical thinking about both theory and practice.

Del Loewenthal is Professor of Psychotherapy and Counselling and Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education at the University of Roehampton, UK, where he also convenes Doctoral programmes. As well as an analytic psychotherapist and chartered psychologist, he is chair of the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association and former founding chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy Research committee. He has small private practices in Wimbledon and Brighton, and is founding editor of the European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling.