Existential Counselling & Psychotherapy in Practice

"Very interesting reading through the case studies. This book gives the reader a good idea of the sort of problems that existential psychotherapy deals with. A very good starting point and Emmy Van Deurzen Smith's other books are also worth purchasing to find out more. Well worth it."
~ Written on 2004-01-14

"Emmy van Deurzen has written a solid commonsense book about the way she as an existentialist practises psychotherapy. Most people find existentialist philosophy very heavy going and give up before they grasp the basics.van Duerzen clearly writes from the heart as someone who lives by existentialist values. If you are looking for 'a how to do' guide this is not going to suit your purposes. If however you would like to view counselling and psychotherapy through the experienced eye of a wise person you really should give this a try- I think it is rather wonderful!"
~ Written on 2003-03-13

"I bought this book in the belief that Ms Van Deurzen might be able to tell me what existential therapy is. I should have read the review on the back by David Smail, who says "...this is not a book setting out a system or founding a school of therapy...". One wonders what it is in that case. This is indeed a book which fails to set out anything very clearly at all apart from the chapter summaries, which provide a synopsis of what little the book actually says about what existential therapy is. In the end, it is an example of how many words can say very little. Any reader wishing to make sense of what this kind of psychotherapy is - from Ms Van Deurzen's point of view at least - may well find themselves quite baffled by how little clarity £17.99 will buy you these days. I understand the hardback version is £60. In the end, one might learn more about existential therapy by spending a night in a graveyard. This book does not do existential therapy justice and is quite simply to be avoided by anyone serious about the approach."
~ Written on 2002-11-10