Ernesto Spinelli's book provides a clear and coherent proposal about what constitutes existential psychotherapy and how it might be applied. Both experienced existential therapists and those in training will find it to be extremely helpful in clarifying the existential-phenomenological approach without having to renounce their personal ways of working.
This most recent edition of Ernesto Spinelli’s Practising Existential Therapy solidifies him as the inspiring godfather to those of us who practice in existential phenomenological ways. His writing discloses his gifted way of addressing seemingly insurmountable abstractions in clear and practical ways without losing an ounce of its transformative power. This is the definitive text to assign in any class exploring existential therapy. Each chapter gracefully weaves theory, concrete situations, and suggestions for experiential engagement with central
Ernesto Spinelli’s new textbook of existential therapy marks a further step in the clarification of just what it is that makes those of us who start out from a phenomenological perspective in attempting to understand what is therapeutic in therapeutic encounters so utterly different from those who represent one of the several hundred other named modalities of psychotherapy. The author has abandoned the term 'psychotherapy' in naming what he does.
Spinelli adds to the existential tradition a rich conceptual dimension, coupled with clear and compelling therapeutic practices, and the wisdom of experience. This is a truly impressive and valuable work.
I have been waiting for a book like this and here it is! It is not exaggerating to esteem this book a classic of existential therapy. It is clinically based, philosophically grounded, conceptually definitional, methodologically structural, theoretically innovative and culturally reflective.
Ernesto Spinelli's book, Practising Existential Psychotherapy: The Relational World, is a classic in the field. This long-awaited revised edition, entitled Practising Existential Therapy (rather than psycho-therapy), clarifies the differences between existential and other approaches. It also provides schematic overviews that aid the reader in navigating the conceptual framework of the book. Spinelli’s unique voice, inviting dialogue with his readers, emerges even more clearly in the new book.
In this second edition of Practicing Existential Therapy, Spinelli offers us not a revision, but a significantly updated and re-written manuscript. In it Spinelli achieves what many existential therapists had thought impossible - A manual that does not manualize. In these pages the reader is presented with a rigorous and practical alternative to the superficial ‘toolkits’ littering the field of psychotherapy.
In a survey of over 1,000 existential therapists worldwide, Practising Existential Psychotherapy was identified as the most influential contemporary text on existential therapeutic practice. In this second edition, Spinelli has deepened and extended his analysis, providing a comprehensive, detailed, and eminently practical guide to existential therapeutic work. This book is now the core text for training and practice in existential counselling and psychotherapy.
The great strength of this text is the very clear way that Spinelli outlines and explains his approach to therapeutic practice, with numerous practical exercises included to help develop skills and understanding.
This is a serious and responsible text, which would be a very useful addition to any course or scheme of study... It is a real and important addition to the existential literature.
The many practical exercises make it an ideal handbook, and brief references to work from other notable figures past and present, alongside Spinelli's own explanation of his understanding and practice, make it ideal for reference. It may also be useful for supervisors and practitioners of any approach as it contains prompts for consideration of many elements of practice, such as stages of therapy; considerations of self, other and world concepts; and endings, among others. It also includes addenda on existential therapeutic work with couples, groups and in time-limited set-ups.
This book is distilled Existential therapy with very clearly explained theory and ensuing practical application. If students want to get a handle of existential therapy they need not go any further than this book. Anyway all the essential references are there.
Apart from current work we are developing a new degree in Guidance and Counselling to start in 2017. This will certasinly be on the reading lists I put together.
A sound text on the subject. This is of sound relevance to students interested in the practice of existential therapy.
Practising Existential Therapy further expands on the theme of relatedness; adding more substance to this perspective. The book is structured in a logical way and the exercises are very helpful to further embed the learning.
Existential therapy is I believe really suited to our profession. Youth and Community workers work with people from where they are and their beliefs and as such this fits very well with this form of counselling.
This text offers a very comprehensive introduction to the theory and practise of Existential Therapy. For the students I am working with, who are studying a Foundation Degree in Counselling with a strongly integrative emphasis, this area of work is very important, and over the past five cohorts around 90% of the students have decided to found their practice upon an existential foundation. This book then will offer not only the introduction alluded to above, but also remain a companion within the developing practice of many of our current and future students.