Discursive Perspectives in Therapeutic Practice

For an endeavour that is largely based on conversation it may seem obvious to suggest that psychotherapy is discursive. . However, talk or discourse has usually been seen as secondary to the actual business of therapy. Only recently though has the role that discourse plays been recognized as a focus in itself for analysis and intervention. Discursive Perspectives in Therapeutic Practice presents an overview of discursive perspectives intherapy, along with an account of their conceptual underpinnings. The book starts by setting out the case for a discursive and relational approach to therapy by juxtaposing it with the tradition that leads to the diagnostic approach of the DSM-V and medical psychiatry. It then presents a thorough review of arange of innovative discursive methods, each presented by an authority in their respective area. The book shows how discursive therapies can help people construct a better sense of their world, and move beyond the constraints caused by the cultural preconceptions, opinions, and values the client has about the world.