Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling ― Appraisals and Reappraisals

Is therapy’s relational turn only something to celebrate? It is a major worldwide trend taking place in all the therapy traditions. But up to now appreciation of these developments has not been twinned with well-informed and constructive critique. Hence practitioners and students have not been able to engage as fully as they might with the complex questions and issues that relational working presents. Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling: Appraisals and reappraisals seeks to redress this balance.

In this unique book, Del Loewenthal and Andrew Samuels bring together the contributions of writers from several countries and many therapy modalities, all of whom have engaged with what ‘relational’ means – whether to espouse the idea, to urge caution or to engage in sceptical reflection.

Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling: Appraisals and reappraisals presents clinical work of the highest standard in a way that is moving and draws the reader in. The more intellectual contributions are accessible and respectful, avoiding the polarising tendencies of the profession. At a time when there has been a decline in the provision and standing of the depth therapies across the globe, this book shows that, whatever the criticisms, there is still creative energy in the field. It is hoped that practitioners and students in psychoanalysis, psychotherapy counselling and counselling psychology will welcome this book for its cutting edge content and compassionate tone.

Del Loewenthal is Professor of Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education at the University of Roehampton, where he also convenes Doctoral programmes. He is an analytic psychotherapist, chartered psychologist and photographer. He is founding editor of the European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling. He is chair of the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association and former founding chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy Research committee. His publications include Phototherapy and Therapeutic Photography in a Digital Age (Routledge, 2013), Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling after Postmodernism: The Selected Works of Del Loewenthal (Routledge, forthcoming) and, with Robert Snell, Postmodernism for Psychotherapists (Routledge, 2003), among numerous others. Del also has small private practices in Wimbledon and Brighton.

Andrew Samuels has, for 40 years, been evolving a unique blend of post-Jungian, relational psychoanalytic and humanistic approaches to therapy work. He is recognized internationally as a leading commentator from a psychotherapeutic perspective on political and social problems. His work on the father, sexuality, spirituality and countertransference has also been widely appreciated. He is a Founder Board Member of the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, past chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy, and co-founder of Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility and also of the Alliance for Counselling and Psychotherapy. He is Professor of Analytical Psychology at Essex University and holds visiting chairs at New York, London and Roehampton Universities. His many books have been translated into 19 languages, including Jung and the Post-Jungians (Routledge, 1985); A Critical Dictionary of Jungian Analysis (Routledge, 1986); The Plural Psyche: Personality, Morality and the Father (Routledge, 1989); The Political Psyche (Routledge, 1993); and Passions, Persons, Psychotherapy, Politics: The selected works of Andrew Samuels (Routledge, forthcoming).