Psychotherapy is one of the most valuable inventions of the last hundred years, with an exceptional power to raise our levels of emotional well-being, improve our relationships, redeem the atmosphere in our families and assist us in mining our professional potential.

But it is also profoundly misunderstood and the subject of a host of unhelpful fantasies, hopes and suspicions. Its logic is rarely explained and its voice seldom heard with sufficient directness. This is a book that attempts to explain psychotherapy: what the needs are in all of us to which it caters; the methods by which it addresses these needs - and what the outcome of a therapeutic intervention could ideally be.

The book reflects a fundamental belief of the School of Life that psychotherapy is the single greatest step any of us can take towards self-understanding and fulfilment. A course of therapy stands to render us ever so slightly less angry, self-defeating, unconfident, lost and sad.

This is a guide to the purpose and meaning of psychotherapy.

What people are saying about What is Psychotherapy?:

Love the book, high quality product. I am very pleased with my purchase. It is a small book but big enough to answer the question from the headline. Srecka

Great read and being a hardback gives the book a special feel, a kind if little treasure. Brian

A lovely little book to help make psychotherapy more accessible.

Great book for that first understanding of psychotherapy, easy and quick to read.

This book is invaluable and makes so much sense. I will be ordering more copies to give to friends.

Inspiring and impressive. Bringing easy terms and daily encounters into deeper understanding.