Practicing Therapy as Social Construction

This book introduces therapy as a socially constructed process, helping you develop as a more socially and culturally aware practitioner.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to social constructionist ideas and their application within the psychological therapies.

Whether you are a trainee or qualified therapist, this book will support you to think about therapy as a socially constructed and relational process, and to develop as a more culturally, socially and politically aware practitioner. It advocates for ‘therapist activists’ who understand the interplay between the micro and the macro in therapeutic contexts and debunks the idea of the ‘isolated client’ to examine how broader societal conditions create problems for the individual. Chapters are designed to engage, offering a variety of features to support learning, including:

- Introductory and concluding chapter summaries
- Textboxes summarising content & spotlighting key information
- Case studies and vignettes throughout
- Reflective questions & thought-provoking exercises
- Recommended Further Reading.

This book has wide applicability, with author affiliations across both North and South America - the University of New Hampshire in the US and the Federal University of Uberlandia in Brazil.

Introduction: Therapy as Social Construction
From the ‘What’ to the ‘How’ of Therapeutic Practice
The Therapeutic Focus on Micro Processes
The Therapeutic Focus on Macro Processes
Contemporary Challenges in Therapy
Therapeutic Ethics and Micro/Macro Considerations