Dancing between Hope and Despair

Book excerpt: Why is hope so fundamental to our existence? Hope is increasingly being acknowledged as an important factor both for people's resilience and for positive therapeutic outcomes. In considering this and many other questions, this evocative textbook introduces the reader to the repeated shifting, or 'dance', between hope and despair that is so often encountered by practitioners working with profoundly traumatised individuals. This book brings a sharp focus to the ways in which therapeutic relationships can draw individuals out of the constant oscillation between light and dark. It provides an insightful and thoughtful discussion not just about despair itself, but about how to be with despair. Informed by the author's own years of experience in the field of psychotherapy, this engaging and stimulating book provides practical guidance on how students, trainees and practitioners can inspire fresh hope in deeply troubled clients.