Existential Therapies

by Mick Cooper

`One can only applaud the bravery of an author who gently send up Kierkegaard′s wilful obscurantism and cleans out the acrid smoke of Gauloises from the room. With welcome clarity and sanity, Mick Cooper efficiently lays out the concepts, techniques and directions adopted by several key figures in the broad field of existentially informed psychotherapy. In an excellent first chapter, Mick Cooper pointed out my `ontic′ from my `ontological′; and I could see, behind the long-words-with-dashes, the true resonance of these ideas with real human and therapeutic issues, dilemmas and goals′ - Clinical Psychology `This book proves to be a real treasure what you always wanted to know about existential psychotherapy but failed to find anywhere else in such a comprehensive, clear and concise manner. In that sense, this publication provides a missing link. One merit of the book is its systematic structure. As extensive, and in part as heterogeneous as existential philosophy and therapy also maybe, Mick Cooper had nevertheless been able to build convincing clusters with, on the one hand, an enormous understanding of details and, on the other, a far-sightedness that, like a map, provides orientation in the diversity of existential therapy. I really appreciate this publication and can recommend it very strongly′ - Person-Centred and Experiential Psychotherapies ` Existential Therapies will I suspect, suddenly make "existentialism" come alive. The author, Mick Cooper loves his subject, it fascinates and enthrals him, and we get to experience some of that, even though the book is "academic". The connections and overlaps with person-centred psychology are there for us to be, but so are the differences′ - Person-Centred Practice `As an overview of a number of different existential therapies the book is extremely welcome and manages in a relatively short space to cover a wide arena. Overall I rate the book highly. To pull together a large and somewhat disparate literature, then make sense of it and finally retains the reader′s interest, is difficult′ - Existential Analysis `Mick Cooper has done an impressive job in writing a much needed, current and user friendly survey of the field of existential therapies. If I were to teach this course, I would use this book. I applaud Mick Cooper for having admirably achieved the aim he set out to achieve. All this makes Mick Cooper′s book a must-read for anyone wishing to explore the topic of existential therapy′ - Society for Laingian Studies Website `What makes this book unique is that all the different strands of Existential philosophy are always clearly linked to practice′ - Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal `This is a very fresh book, not treading well-worn paths and genuinely informing us about a small but important field. This is really an indispensable book for anyone who wants to understand existentialist approaches to therapy′ - Self and Society `This publication marks a milestone providing an excellent, clear and critical overview of the contrasting forms of the approach as it is currently practised′ - Emmy van Deurzen, New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, Schiller University, London `This is a book of superb thoroughness and scholarship - an unprecedented guide to existential therapy′s chief positions and controversies′ - Kirk J Schneider, President of the Existential-Humanistic Institute, USA `Combines scholarship with a writing style that makes difficult concepts accessible. This book should be required reading on any course where the existential tradition plays a part, and that includes person-centred courses and all sympathetic to the idea that psychotherapy is, in essence, a human encounter where warmth, understanding and a deep respect for the individual are key values′ - Tony Merry, University of East London What does it mean to practice in an existential way? What are the different existential approaches? What are their strengths and limitations? Existential Therapies addresses these key questions, and more, by providing students and practitioners with an invaluable introduction to the diverse and multifaceted world of existential therapeutic practices. Focusing on practical, face-to-face work with clients, the · introduces readers to six key existential therapies · discusses key figures and their contributions, including Irvin Yalom, Emmy van Deurzen, Ernesto Spinelli, Viktor Frankl and R D Laing · compares and contrasts the various approaches, highlighting areas of commonality and difference · outlines key debates within the existential therapy field · provides detailed suggestions for further reading Existential Therapies offers students and practitioners of all orientations much that they can incorporate into their own therapeutic work, and each approach is vividly brought to life through therapist-client dialogues and case studies. Written in an accessible, warm, and engaging manner, Existential Therapies is an essential introduction to this rich,...

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Counselling, Self Help

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book you want to start with if you are interested in this type of therapy. It will give you a nice, clear overview of the different philosophies and approaches to existential therapy, and then you can choose which one to hone in on. It also includes some lovely practical examples.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute must read for anyone interested in existential psychotherapy. It is a concise, clear explanation of the largest schools of existential therapy along with essential reading material. I read it to write a paper and not one second of it felt like work.

[Charles Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best introduction to the current schools of existential therapies being practiced today. Not a "how to" manual, rather a very accessible overview. More than worth the time and money.

[Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cooper provides a fitting summary of the content readers may expect "First, to introduce the reader to the rich tapestry of existential therapies; second, to provide readers with ideas and practices that they can incorporate into their own work; third, to help readers identify-and follow up- areas of existential therapy that are of particular interest to them; and fourth, to contribute to a range of debates within the existential therapy field." This is a quick, basic overview of existential theories and their applications to therapy. However, it is just that, an introduction. This book was not designed, nor should it be used as a therapeutic manual. Out of all 4 goals Cooper had for this text, he does a particularly good job addressing the third goal, helping readers identify and follow up on areas they find interesting. Key words: follow up. So if you are looking for a general introduction to existential theory, this text is definitely a good starting point. Cooper provides ample information on further reading for each topic and a general "contact" or resource list at the end of the book.

[Lezlee Hays · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep looking for a book that really helps me pull all the various ideas from the differing existential therapies into one whole. This book I think put the nail in the coffin of that thinking - as I honestly have now realized I think it's impossible. And although I really like some ideas of many of the various thinkers in this area, I think it's really just a matter of figuring what is going to work for you as an individual therapist and then pulling from what resonates. In some ways this book distills and clarifies some things but in other ways it just further muddied some of the connections between various view points for me.

[Panos Chronis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to a relatively new school of modern psychotherapy. Even though existential philosophy and its relevant inquiry have been influencing the world of therapy from its very beginning, most of the 'schools' or approaches described in Mick Cooper's book are less than a few decades old. Thus, making this publication a much needed tool in the hands of (future) therapists.

[Taha Rabie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi everybody I am the translator of that book, hope it is useful. I tried my best to simplfy existential terms into Arabic

مرحبا بالجميع، أنا من قمت بترجمة هذا الكتاب، وارجو أن يكون مفيدا، بذلت قدر استطاعتي لتبسيط الكتاب، وشكرا لكل التعليقات

[Khaled Mounir · Rating 4 out of 5]

يتناول الكتاب العلاج الوجودي و هو أحد انواع العلاجات النفسية والهدف منها مساعدة العملاء ليصبحوا اكثر أصالة وادراكا لجوانب وجودهم ، والعيش من خلال خبراتهم ومعتقداتهم الفعلية مع تشجعهم علي الانفتاح وتقبل تلك المعطيات حتي السلبية منها والتعايش معها والي حد كبير يشبه الإرشاد النفسي القائم علي أسس فلسفية
الكتاب الي حد كبير أكاديمي ومركز وغزير المعلومات
الفصل الأول بدأ بتوضيح أسس الفلسفة الوجودية المستخدمة في العلاج ، وفي باقي الفصول عرض لمدارس العلاج المختلفة وما يمز عرضه انه عرض نقدي بحيث يبرز الأفكار وحتي الأحداث الشخصية المؤثرة علي كل مؤسسي المدارس المختلفة و الأفكار الرئسية والنقنيات المستخدمة واخيرا نقد لتلك الأفكار
من حيث المجمل الكتاب مفيد جدا ولكن بشكل أكبر للمختصين ، ولكن علي صعيد شخصي هناك العديد من التقنيات والأفكار التي تثري منظور الإنسان للحياة ، وتقنيات تساعد الإنسان علي الخروج من تمركزه الضيق حول إحدى جوانب الوجود لينتقل الإنسان بنظره الي المنظور الكلي للوجود ، مع قبوله بمعطيات الوجود .
هناك العديد من القضايا التي اثيرت في ثنايا الكتاب مثل قضية علاقة المعالج مع العميل من التلقائية لاستخدام التقنيات والتي تختلف بأختلاف طيف المدارس ، وقضية توجيه العميل نحو اعتناق بعض الافكار في مقابل عدم التوجيه .
الكتاب ثري جدا بالمعلومات ويوفر أشارة لمصادر اكثر اسهابا في التناول

[Gerardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent at showing the practical side of existential philosophy thru therapy. Really recommended reading. If you are into this kind of subjects, check out as well Donald Robertson's The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy about the link between stoicism and CBT.

[Athanasios Sourlis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introductory book in Existential Psychotherapy, unique in its kind. Whether or not you're new to existentialism, this book will provide you with a solid foundation in the different approaches to existential psychotherapy, alongside the respective historical context.

[Muhammad Osama Rakha]

الترجمة سيئة جدًا.. خسارة

[Mohammad Taheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

یکی از زیباترین کتاب های روانشناسی بود که خوندم. مطالبش برام خیلی جالب بود و توضیحاتش هم گیرا بود

[AT Ghane · Rating 3 out of 5]

ترجمه سختی داره و باید دوباره بخونم.

[Josh Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mick Cooper explains complicated philosophical concepts in an engaging, easy to understand way. For anyone who wants to get a grasp of how existential therapy works, the myriad of different approaches within the field and the latest developments, I'd say this is a must read.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read up until Gestalt therapy, but it seemed like a good book to look up things related to existential therapy. Cooper seems to have a very good overview of the field, with several obscure references that you need to be a professional detective to find. But yeah, I would recommend it as a reference-book.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didnt finish, didnt engage me.