Relating in Psychotherapy : The Application of a New Theory

In John Birtchnell's last book How Humans Relate, he proposed a new theory as the basis for a science of relating.

Relating in Psychotherapy explains how the relevance of this theory relates to the practice of psychotherapy.

The theory cuts across all schools of therapy, and is a way of describing each school in terms of relating in both the client and the therapist.

The theory is constructed around two major axes; a horizontal one concerning the degree to which we need to become involved with or separated from others, and a vertical one concerning the degree to which we choose to exercise power over others or permit others to exercise their power over us.

With numerous clinical examples, John Birtchnell explains how we need to assume both positions in order to relate to others, and argues that people who seek therapy are usually deficient in one or more of these forms of relating, but through the course of therapy, their relating capabilities can be improved.

Relating in Psychotherapy can have applications in psychotherapy and in couple and family therapy, and will be an invaluable resource for therapists, counsellors and other mental health professionals.