Overview

This book draws together studies of the histories of psychotherapies throughout the world in a comparative setting, charting the intersections of these connected histories and transcultural networks of knowledge exchange and healing practices. This volume's explorations of these transcultural histories help to illuminate the way in which these practices have shaped (and continue to shape) contemporary notions of psychological disorder, well-being and identity itself. The contributors question the value-free status claimed by a wide array of contemporary psychotherapies, as well as the presuppositions of present-day 'evidence based' practice. Suspended between several different fields, the advent of modern psychotherapies represents one of the distinctive features of twentieth century Western societies, and one that has been rapidly spreading to other parts of the world. This volume will be of interest to those seeking to apply the conclusions of historical study to contemporary situations. Chapters in this book were originally published in a special issue of The European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling or Taylor and Francis books.