Demystifying Therapy

by Ernesto Spinelli

During the last decade, as public awareness of the role of therapy has increased, so too has the criticism of specific approaches to therapeutic practice.
In this book, Dr Spinelli examines the assumptions of his profession. He argues that in seeking to cure, heal, educate, free and change the client, in seeking to promote 'mental health', psychotherapists and councellors not only end up abusing their clients and themselves but they also succeed in setting themselves impossible tasks and goals which actually impede the therapeutic process. Through his critiques, Spinelli demystifies therapists' language and theories. He argues that the key areas of the client-therapist relationship have been neglected and, using case material from his own practice, explores in full the way in which therapists should engage with and listen to their clients in order to be of help.
Over the years, Spinelli has become increasingly aware of the philosophical naïveté of many therapists - their unnecessary and artificial reliance on 'techniques' and their abuse of the power bestowed on them in the therapeutic relationship.

... this is a brilliant book, which I unreservedly recommend to anyone in the
counselling field... It will most surely provoke fertile, enlightening and
constructive engagement within our profession with years to come.
Richard House, Counselling

Professor Ernesto Spinelli, PhD is a fellow of both the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) as well as a UKCP registered existential psychotherapist. In 1999 he was awarded a Personal Chair as Professor of Psychotherapy, Counselling and Counselling Psychology. His authorship of numerous specialist articles and several highly respected and widely read books dealing with the theory and practice of existential psychotherapy has earned for Ernesto a BPS Counselling Psychology Division Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of the Profession as well as an international reputation as a leading figure in the advancement of contemporary existential psychotherapy.

Genres: Psychology, Counselling

248 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1994

Reviews

[Oliver]

The writing in this book is simply outrageous. Just look at this single sentence:

“While anyone reading this text may well have a sense, or 'gut feeling', either from previous readings or from his or her own experience of being in therapy' - either as a therapist or as a client - of what therapy is or means to them, and, if pressed, might well be able to put such into a sufficiently suitable and representative statement, nevertheless it would appear to be the case that any such statement, while by no means incorrect, would almost certainly remain incomplete and open to some degree of dispute.”

It's almost parodically bad academic writing. It's not all as egregious as that, but a lot of it is - I'm sure the book could have been half the length, and I wish it had been.

That aside, I think this is a really valuable and challenging read for therapists and trainees, and I'm very glad I read it. Although some of it is a little strained, many of the basic ideas are fascinating. I particularly liked the challenge to the idea of therapists creating a plausible and coherent past for their clients (either directly via interpretation, as in psychoanalysis, or in collaboration with the client, in more humanistic approaches). The idea that the past is an invention that can be believed in as a device for exploration, but is no more fixed and a 'source of truth' than anything else, is very useful.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great content and some really interesting ideas, but the writing style was too ornate for me.
I found the style in which this text was written convoluted and at times hard to penetrate. Sentences are are long and richly peppered with clauses. It made me think of caution in writing, where each statement had to carry an explanation or interpretation. In that respect I must admit the book reads as a curious inquiry compared to Masson’s accusatory and unforgiving stance in Against Therapy. But boy was it easier to read!
Spinelli is a font of knowledge and I am glad I read this work. I will be referencing it frequently for sure. The only reason for my rating is the difficulty I had reading his book. I can argue that I read it thrice - that’s how many times I had to read some sentences. Other than that excellent read.

[João Vaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although somewhat old - and thus many of its critiques outdated, which renders the first chapters a little less insightful - its still quite important and impactful both in its critique of the main models of psychotherapy and suggestions on how to work them out.