Decent textbook. However, one of the author's promotion of feminist ideology is distracting, confusing, and unnecessary.
For example, take this quote from a discussion of Freud's role in the creation of psychotherapy: "However, the whole idea of crowning one individual as the first, or greatest, originator of psychotherapy is a masculinized and Western endeavor. It’s also inappropriate to credit white Western European males with the origins of counseling and psychotherapy theory and practice." (pg. 4) Trying to figure out who started psychotherapy is "masculinized and Western"? How so? It's "inapproprite" to give credit to white Western European males? Why exactly? Yawn.
The confusion gets thick later in the book when the other author (the white male one) gives credit to white Western European males for starting psychotherapy. “Freud’s approach established the headwaters from which all contemporary psychotherapies and counseling have flowed… Contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy is based on the writing and theories of Sigmund Freud.” (pg. 29) And "most contemporary developmental theories grew, in one way or another, from Freud’s original theorizing. Overall, Freud’s general premise that individuals have developmentally based dysfunctions that can be treated via analysis remains alive and well within psychoanalytic circles.” (pg. 34)
Which is it? Is crediting white Western European males with starting psychotherapy "inappropriate" or simply a fact of history? At least she is willing to admit her bias in the following passage: “Rita [the author] loves to dethrone Freud, considering him overrated and antithetical to her feminist beliefs.” (pg. 25) He may be overrated, and many of his ideas have been debunked. But because her ideology disagrees with Freud's ideas, she seeks to rewrite history to delete him from his rightful place as the father of psychotherapy.
The second edition of the book was less fanatical. The same passage I referenced above used to read: "It’s also inappropriate to singularly credit white, Western European males with the origins of counseling and psychotherapy theory and practice." Notice that in the latest edition, the word "singularly" has been removed. Previously, she used to give Freud some credit. But no longer. This reveals that her bias is conscious, and rules her decision-making process. This garbage has no place in a graduate school textbook.
I don't think it would be hard to find an equally informative text discussing the theories of psychotherapy, minus the glaring instances of intellectual dishonesty and hypocrisy.
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