Psychotherapy, Society, and Politics: From Theory to Practice

by Nissim Avissar

Overview

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the overlap between personal and political aspects of life within the context of psychotherapy. It sketches out a clear and detailed narrative of the complex interrelations between psychotherapy, society, and politics. It articulates a theoretical basis for politically conscious and socially responsible therapy work, as well as the guiding principles in implementing this position. Many psychotherapists find themselves struggling when faced with political issues that come up in treatment, both overtly and covertly. Many of them find value in clarifying political aspects of clients' lives and psychotherapy itself, but are hesitant to touch upon this loaded issue or do not know how to approach it. Nissim Avissar's book opens up new possibilities of thinking afresh on psychotherapy, in a way that takes into account real life conditions and the effects of professional work on the social environment.--

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781137575968
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan US
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Edition description:	1st ed. 2016
Pages:	195
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Nissim Avissar teaches in the Kibbutzim College of Education and the School of Psychology at the Interdisciplinary Center – Herzliya (IDC), Israel. He is an Israeli clinical psychologist and has published and presented work on the interplay between psychology and education on the one hand and politics, social responsibility, and political engagement (or activism) on the other, particularly within the Israeli context.

Table of Contents

Part I – Theory
1. Politics, not what you had in mind!
2. Psychotherapy's forgotten political narrative
3. The return of the political to the discourse of therapy
4. Psychotherapy: between the personal and the political
5. Theories with an agenda
Part II – Practice
6. Politics in professional training
7. "Psychology under the influence": Psychologists Versus Injurious Realities
8. Politically sensitive psychotherapy
9. Political Attentiveness: Dealing with Political Materials in Therapy
10. The Alchemy of Psychotherapy: Transforming Discontent into Power
Part IV – The Israeli Case
11. Psychotherapy as a mirror of society: The Israeli context
12. "Political dialogues": Critical analysis of the psychotherapeutic discourse in Israel
13. Politics in therapy: A survey among Israeli clinical psychologists
14. Clinical psychologists facing psychopolitical dilemmas
15. An Israeli psychotherapy?
Epilogue

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book explores how to discuss political issues, especially oppression and injustice, within a therapeutic context, and teaches therapists how to be politically sensitive and use these issues to empower their clients. The author discusses how this is accomplished in Israel.
Purpose: The purpose is to offer "a comprehensive overview of the overlap between personal and political aspects of life within the context of psychotherapy." It is designed to set out "a clear and detailed narrative of the complex interactions between psychotherapy, society, and politics," and provide "a theoretical basis for politically conscious and socially responsible therapy work, as well as the guiding principles in implementing this position."
Audience: The book is targeted at psychologists, although graduate students could benefit as well. The author teaches at Kibbutzim College in Israel and has published in the area of psychology and education, as well as politics and social responsibility.
Features: Most therapists believe that psychotherapy and politics are polar opposites, with one being private and the other public. The author suggests that personal change occurs within the context of a political environment. Things began to change in the 1980s when repression of politics gradually eased. This was due to advances in relational theories and the examination of countertransference and therapist self-disclosure. Social justice also became an important part of the curriculum in graduate school. The second part of the book describes how to apply these theoretical concepts in the therapeutic relationship. The author believes that graduate training should include an ecological approach, which explores political, social, and cultural issues in conjunction with personal and intrapsychic components. "Politically Sensitive Psychotherapy" encourages therapists to focus on the client's social-cultural context and external explanations for suffering. Therapy can become even more meaningful as clients relate to political content within the fabric of their lives. The book ends with a description of how this occurs in Israel. The author first talks about the history of mental health in Israel from 1948 to the present. Based on a survey conducted among clinical psychologists in Israel, there are ethnic disparities about medical and mental health, in addition to the fact that many of the psychologists had been politically active. Military psychologists have a dilemma due to the commitment to the individual and devotion to the demands of the military system. The author reports that professional-political activity has been characteristic of Israeli psychotherapy throughout its history.
Assessment: This interesting book encourages psychologists to consider integrating personal issues with a political context during psychotherapy. Although this seems to go against the training of most psychologists, the author advances passionate arguments about how it can help the therapeutic process. Psychologists will find this book provocative and enlightening.

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