Why Some Therapies Don't Work by Albert Ellis..Albert Ellis, one of the most controversial figures in modern psychology, stands in the distinguished company of such luminaries as Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner in his uncanny knack for arousing adherents and opponents alike. Joined by his colleague, Raymond J. Yeager, Ellis explains the revolutionary technique of rational-emotive therapy (RET) and contrasts it with transpersonal psychology and psychotherapy in a devastating analysis of cult therapy.
Ellis developed rational-emotive therapy in response to the disillusionment that he shared with his fellow therapists when using more traditional techniques of psychoanalysis. Today, many thousands of people who are desperately seeking to understand and overcome the emotional problems they face in daily life are being threatened by the inefficient and antihumanistic methods of popular cult therapies, many of which fall under the umbrella of transpersonal psychology. Ellis and Yeager offer compelling examples of the psychological, social, and political dangers posed by this cult phenomenon.
Contrasting the theories, methods, and results of transpersonal psychotherapy with the more sensible and effective RET approach, Ellis and Yeager explain the goals of psychotherapy in terms of human well-being, showing how transpersonal psychology can actually increase a person's frustration, intensify neurotic defenses, and impede the development of a healthy self-image.
A tremendous amount of research supports the effectiveness of RET and its related forms of treatment. The cognitive-therapy revolution, with its realistic approach to life problems, is gaining momentum both inside clinical practice and among the general population. In Why Some Therapies Don't Work, Ellis and Yeager emphasize the inherent dangers of the transpersonal phenomenon, in whatever form it might take. By comparing and contrasting RET and transpersonalism, they provide professionals with a valuable resource while offering general readers a functional and clearly written self-help guide.
