Granta 174: Therapy

by Thomas Meaney

When Sigmund Freud died, Auden wrote ‘he is no more a person now but a whole climate of opinion’. Something similar could be said for therapy today. We live in a therapeutic age. It is generally accepted that the world of subconsciousness plays into all of our thoughts and actions, and that, in the hands of experts, it can be directed along more fruitful pathways. But as a science and a practice, therapy has always been fraught with dilemmas and crises. It has been bound up with power and manipulation, though its finest practitioners and participants counter that it contributes to human liberation. This issue of Granta explores all of these dimensions of therapy.

Featuring non-fiction by Jesse Barron, Dushko Petrovich Córdova, Sheila Heti, Elfriede Jelinek, Paul Keegan and Deborah Levy.

New fiction by Camilla Grudova, Benjamin Kunkel, Anne Serre and Missouri Williams.

Conversations between Christopher Bollas and Granta, Juliet Mitchell and Lidija Haas, and Jonathan Lear and Benjamin Y. Fong.

Art and photography by Louise Bourgeois, Rinko Kawauchi, Musuk Nolte (introduced by Guadalupe Nettel) and Nigel Shafran.

Poetry by Olive Franklin, Robert Hass, Victor Heringer and Natalie Shapero.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published February 24, 2026

Reviews

[Paul Dembina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The usual mixed bag. I don't usually like the poetry, but I thought the final poem by Robert Haas was rather good.

Other highlights were the pieces by Sheila Heti and Jesse Barron plus the fiction by Missouri Williams and Benjamin Kunkel

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic issue, I read it from cover to cover 💖

[Eilidh Fyfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

very solid and interesting edition!
someone give me ketamine and let me talk about all my problems we will be there for centuries

[Ben Breen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the first two pieces alone - both incredible items of journalism. First a Gonzo-esque deep dive into the experiences of psychoactive drug use during therapy, which was fascinating and very personal. Then a more investigative piece about an inappropriate relationship between therapist and patient - how was it justified in each person's mind? how did it go on for so long?

Other pieces also interesting - all the fiction worth a read, and several interviews about psychoanalysis providing a more sober backdrop.

[Matt Corley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had a Granta subscription for nearly 30 years, and this latest edition rates up there with some of my favorites. The writings etc. are not all brilliant or engaging, but the prose/poetry and photography in this issues won me over as some of the best that I've seen in Granta. That combined with most of the writing being so much more engaging than I had anticipated given the theme of the issue moved the issue into the 5-star range for me.
I read this in mid-Feb 2026 since that was when the issue arrived routinely in the mail. Goodreads made an error listing a later publication date apparently.

[John Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting pieces - but fundamentally I hate therapy so lots of stuff I had to push through

[Sean Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty captivating issue. Highlights are probably the essays on drug therapy; on an unbelievable 10 year affair between psychoanalyst and patient; & one on perfume influencers/connoisseurs. The fiction and poetry was also pretty good but I most enjoyed one about a camping trip gone awry, particularly for its style (I later saw one of the other reviews picked up that it was mimicking a 'free association' style of thought which I thought was neat).

[Arie]

I am allowed to log a periodical pn Goodreads. it was book-length and I got a lot out of it, even and especially re-reading the Sheila Heti which I had already read online at Biddy's urgings, but I also devoured the three very wide ranging interviews with psychoanalysts.

[Benjamin Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fav. 'Mozart Balls', Camilla Grudova. 'Good Medicine', Sheila Heti.

[Lucy Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of their best issues

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition of Granta is a mixed bag of short pieces of writing only a few of which are connected with its theme of 'Therapy', which itself is restricted to psychoanalysis, as if this were the sole modality of counselling. The two short stories which do deal with therapy appear to be satirising the poses and inventions of the analyst, as if any contrived explanation of the client's problem is effective in providing a solution. I did enjoy the very articulate transcripts of interviews with Juliet Mitchell about her project to reconcile the feminist movement with Freud, and also with Jonathan Lear about the connexions between psychoanalysis and ancient Greek philosophy (I was touched to find that, not only did we graduate in Cambridge in the same year, but he became a Fellow of my College a few years later, where he formed a friendship with the college's History tutor whom I knew - both sadly recently deceased). I found Sheila Heti's account of her experimentation with drug therapy fascinating (and was disturbed by her description of her experience of taking DMT, which I found exactly like my own hitherto unexplained terrifying nightmares as a young teenager, as if DMT, which naturally floods the body at birth and death, might also be triggered by the stresses of puberty). Dushko Cordova's article on fragrances, whilst nothing to do with therapy, even with aromatherapy, I found very interesting and informative. Robert Hass's poems, as you would expect from a former American poet laureate, were very moving. But, the biggest surprise for me was Benjamin Kunkel'sshort story, "Whatever Creek Meadows." I almost didn't read it, so repelled was I by its opening of verbal diarrhoea, and left it till last. I found his story hugely entertaining and believable, and have even realised his style of writing was both appropriate for the character of the narrator, and even a form of free-association beloved of psychoanalysts.

[Katie Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favourites:

Good Medicine - Sheila Heti
Transference in the Afternoon - Jesse Barron
Her Enemy’s Phrase - Missouri Williams
Inhabiting Light - Rinko Kawauchi (photography)

[David Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The highlights for me were Good Medicine, Transference in the Afternoon, Whatever Creek Meadows, and Second Hand Smoke. I also enjoyed Robert Hass' poems.

[Chris]

I enjoyed this volume of Granta more than the most recent volumes. Sheila Heti’s DMT and MDMA experiences seemed so carefully planned and informative. Jesse Baron’s piece about the mad transference and countr-transference that did or did not happen, but is still being settled in court is one of those stories you hear when you think you’ve heard it all.
Dushko Petrovich Córdova writes on perfumes and the world of perfume connoisseurs which I don’t ever imagine existed. His writing made me want to seek out his “observations about the visuals of the second Trump administration” that is bio I the back says were recently published in “n+1”. The fiction, by Benjamin Kunkel and Anne Serre, especially, was entertaining. I loved Mosuk Nolte’s photography and was happy to read Guadalupe Nettel introduce it. Rinko Kawauchi’s photography was a beautiful study of light. I didn’t know these photographic works before.
I have some familiarity with Louise Bourgeois, but her Psychoanalytic Writings add another dimension.
I enjoyed the interviews, mostly therapists talking about their work.It was insightful.
Finally, I loved the poetry, Natalie Shapiro, Olive Franklin, Victor Heringer, and especially, Robert Hass.

[Aaron Makepeace · Rating 3 out of 5]

In intersting issue for a variety of reasons.

The editors introduction is what made the biggest impression on me, it describes my own view on the profession of therapy rather well. Very impressive on the editors part.

Good medicine by Sheila Heti is perhaps the most middle class, oblique and hedonistic example of bohemian navel gazing i have ever read. It has the intellectual & meaningful content of a light morning fog.

The issue strengthens my sense of curiousness as to why it is, that so many therapists, particularly the behavioural or freudian ones, have such an affinity for marxism as an ideology.

I chortled reading of an interviewee's father suffering during Mccarthyism because he "accidentally" attended a communist party meeting. I would have liked to have witnessed that.

A decent issue, its strengths being the introduction, the photography and the interviews, interspersed with some mind rotting waffle.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

i found all the poetry and photography to be quite arresting in this issue. additionally, sheila heti’s opening piece of laidback and introspective new journalism was a nice start. none of the fiction particular floored me, but they all succeeded in intriguing me enough that i’d probably pick up a novel or story collection by any of their authors, one day. far too much space dedicated to psychoanalytical ramblings in this for more liking - the topic of ‘therapy’ has several more interesting sides to explore. why not an interview with a music therapist or a piece examining the relation between therapy and neurodivergence (not just mental illness), for example. anyhow, not that much of a complaint as the psychoanalysts were quite eloquent, and juliet mitchell’s interview offered an interesting angle and insight to offset the sameness of the others. looking forward to the next issue!

[Kaltmamsell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich fand die Ausgabe nur so mittel: Die Einleitung des Herausgebers las sich wieder, als fände er das ganze Thema doof, die Auswahl der Texte ließ erst in Gesamtschau erkennen, dass es nicht um Psychotherapie insgesamt ging, sondern um ganz klassische Freud’sche Psychoanalyse und ihren Stand heute (die ich für recht überholt und veraltet gehalten hatte). Vereinzelte Texte und eine Fotoserie drehten sich dann aber doch wieder um Gesprächstherapie im Allgemeinen.

[Taran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the strongest hitters are earliest on - Sheila Heti's experience with ketamine therapy was super interesting (and endearingly Canadian). Kunkel is a pleasure as always, and "Transference in the Afternoon" is just classic good magazine journalism. I don't always go in for the poetry in Granta but the Robert Hass and Victor Heiringer were both nice

[Branden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Heti on psychedelic therapy, Jesse Barron on this crazy affair between a therapist and a client, and Robert Hass's poems made for some of the best reading I've had in a minute. Literally has me thinking I should go back to school for psychotherapy. At the very least, really enjoying Granta again.

[Urja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Heti’s piece was so engaging, I felt like I was high at the end. Secondhand Smoke by Dushko Petrovich Córdova was also awesome … Jeremy Fragrance in Granta, who would’ve thought. Louise Bourgeois’ Psychoanalytic writings were also super compelling.

[Ray Quirolgico · Rating 5 out of 5]

By smartly framing (and challenging) the therapeutic experience around narrative identity, this volume exploring psychological counseling becomes a fascinating exploration of storytelling in essays, interviews, photograph, and poetry.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was excited for this til it became clear it was almost all about Freudian stuff. Could've been so much more interesting if it was tied to actual data-backed approaches. The piece on fragrance was spectacular, though!

[mark foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Granta! Liked it a lot. Interview with Lear was great and Barron's "Transference In The Afternoon" was interesting. Overall nice mix of mediums and styles. Looking forward to the next.

[Namah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Granta convert. Need 2 get my hands on China and India issues bad

[Joanne Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a subject I’m very interested in; in fact, I’ve been known to scoff at therapy. But I found a good portion of this quite interesting.

[Freya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid thing for some dabbling

[Douglas Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent edition, some fine writing

[Wes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for Sheila Heti’s ‘Good Medicine’ and Dushko Petrovich Córdova’s ‘Secondhand Smoke.’

[Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, loved. The Heti and Barron articles were such good writing!

[Natalie Konigkin · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Another banger. Especially the perfume story: https://granta.com/secondhand-smoke/