Book dossier

The illusion of psychotherapy

by William M. Epstein

In The Illusion of Psychotherapy William Epstein asserts that psychotherapy is probably ineffective and possibly harmful. He maintains that there is no credible clinical evidence that psychotherapy is effective in handling personal or social problems, or that it is more effective than other modes of treatment. The theories that underpin clinical practice remain speculative and their influence over social policy are more ideological than scientific. A skeptical public and its government would be better served, Epstein says, by credible evidence of outcomes. His analysis focuses on whether psychotherapy is effective against a variety of unwanted behaviors, such as drug addiction and depression. . In a challenging conclusion, Epstein urges society to solve its problems by confronting the reality implied by the failure of psychotherapy's minimal interventions: to acknowledge that more is necessary to resolve social need.