1st Edition

Exploring Transcultural Histories of Psychotherapies

Edited By Sonu Shamdasani, Del Loewenthal Copyright 2020
    164 Pages
    by Routledge

    164 Pages
    by Routledge

    This book draws together studies of the histories of psychotherapies throughout the world in a comparative setting, charting the intersections of these connected histories and transcultural networks of knowledge exchange and healing practices.



    This volume’s explorations of these transcultural histories help to illuminate the way in which these practices have shaped (and continue to shape) contemporary notions of psychological disorder, well-being and identity itself. The contributors question the value-free status claimed by a wide array of contemporary psychotherapies, as well as the presuppositions of present-day ‘evidence based’ practice.



    Suspended between several different fields, the advent of modern psychotherapies represents one of the distinctive features of twentieth century Western societies, and one that has been rapidly spreading to other parts of the world. This volume will be of interest to those seeking to apply the conclusions of historical study to contemporary situations. Chapters in this book were originally published in a special issue of The European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling or Taylor and Francis books.

    Introduction: Exploring Transcultural Histories of Psychotherapies

    Sonu Shamdasani and Del Loewenthal

    1. Psychotherapy in Society: Historical reflections

    Sonu Shamdasani

    2. Suggestion, persuasion and work: Psychotherapies in communist Europe

    Sarah Marks

    3. Manualizing psychotherapy: Aaron T. Beck and the origins of Cognitive Therapy of Depression

    Rachael I. Rosner

    4. Modernist Pills against Brazilian Alienism (1920–1945)

    Cristiana Facchinetti

    5. Buddhism, Christianity, and psychotherapy: A three-way conversation in the mid-twentieth century

    Christopher Harding

    6. Inferiority and bereavement: Implicit psychological commitments in the cultural history of Scottish psychotherapy

    Gavin Miller

    7. Towards trans-cultural histories of psychotherapies

    Hans Pols

    8. Transcultural histories of psychotherapy

    Keir Martin

    9. Therapy as cultural, politically influenced practice

    Del Loewenthal

    Biography

    Sonu Shamdasani is Co-Director of the UCL Health Humanities Centre, London, UK. He works on the history of the psychological disciplines, with a particular focus on Jung’s work and on the history of psychotherapies. He is the author and editor of numerous volumes, which have been translated into many languages.



    Del Loewenthal is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapy and Counselling at the University of Roehampton, London, UK. He is an existential-analytic psychotherapist, photographer and chartered psychologist, with a particular interest in phenomenology. His books include Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling after Postmodernism (2017).