Thank you for an interesting discussion. The fact that I agree with pretty well everything here is a bonus. What I love is the maturity of the argument, the behind the scenes anecdote and above all the (dare I say) integrative view. As a therapist for many years, who has recently returned from a busy period of retirement I love the sense of validation I get from this. Rather than go on too long let me mention one formative encounter. Someone who seemed to me a pleasant person and I suspect a good therapist billed herself a disciple of AB and presented an account of her therapy that was distinguished by her attention to the therapeutic relationship. This she informed us had been referred to in AB’s earlier work (but apparently not before then!) something that made it ok. Things were going well so she decided that her audience could do a Mexican Wave. I discussed this with my mentor, who when I asked whose disciple I should be said “mine of course “. I do think the inflated egos of innovators ( or relabellers) generally do the science of psychotherapy a disservice, although I would accept that the overall picture is more complex. What a treat I shall dive into your other episodes.
science of psychotherapy? thats funny - read William M Epstein's three key books the illusion of psychotherapy, psychotherapy as religion and psychotherapy and the social clinic soothing fictions - across these books and others he takes apart the so called evidence base for psychotherapy - this entire discussion outlines the absence of science in the field and in psychiatry Sami Timimi's latest book insane Medicine is useful.
Thank you for an interesting discussion. The fact that I agree with pretty well everything here is a bonus. What I love is the maturity of the argument, the behind the scenes anecdote and above all the (dare I say) integrative view. As a therapist for many years, who has recently returned from a busy period of retirement I love the sense of validation I get from this. Rather than go on too long let me mention one formative encounter. Someone who seemed to me a pleasant person and I suspect a good therapist billed herself a disciple of AB and presented an account of her therapy that was distinguished by her attention to the therapeutic relationship. This she informed us had been referred to in AB’s earlier work (but apparently not before then!) something that made it ok. Things were going well so she decided that her audience could do a Mexican Wave. I discussed this with my mentor, who when I asked whose disciple I should be said “mine of course “. I do think the inflated egos of innovators ( or relabellers) generally do the science of psychotherapy a disservice, although I would accept that the overall picture is more complex. What a treat I shall dive into your other episodes.
science of psychotherapy? thats funny - read William M Epstein's three key books the illusion of psychotherapy, psychotherapy as religion and psychotherapy and the social clinic soothing fictions - across these books and others he takes apart the so called evidence base for psychotherapy - this entire discussion outlines the absence of science in the field and in psychiatry Sami Timimi's latest book insane Medicine is useful.