The Value of Psychotherapy

Book excerpt: From a seasoned scholar, clinician, and teacher, this lively, highly readable text probes where the field of psychotherapy is now and where it may be headed in the future. Robert L. Woolfolk explores commonalities and differences among major therapeutic approaches, as well as their philosophical underpinnings. He critiques the growing medicalization of mental health care--in particular, the attempt to fit psychotherapy to the templates of evidence-based medicine. Students gain an appreciation of the enduring value of "the talking cure" for addressing perennial questions: ?Who am I?? ?What can I become?? ?What kind of life is worth having, and how can I achieve it?? The book makes a strong case for the benefits of psychotherapy not only as a method for treating disorders, but also as a practice that can promote practical wisdom and human flourishing.