Call for papers for UKCP and EJPC special issue on psychotherapy, the individual and society

Psychotherapy, the individual and society – have we got it right?

We are collaborating with the European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling (EJPC) on a special issue on ‘ Psychotherapy, the individual and society - have we got it right?, and we are issuing this call for papers.

The European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling (EJPC) is an international peer-reviewed journal.  It is collaborating with UKCP on this special issue.

This call for papers therefore invites clinicians, theoreticians and researchers to consider the many ways in which the psychotherapies do,   and could, consider the interrelationships between the the individual and society. Such thresholds might examine, but not necessarily be limited to, the following questions:

• Does psychotherapy with its excessive individualism only ensure the continuance of social problems?
• Would attention to the social dimension of psychotherapy better inform the procedures of psychotherapy as well as illuminating the causes of distress, opening reconsideration of those procedures, their origins and implications?
• As psychotherapists where do we consider ‘others’ in relation to our client, patient, group, family or system.
• More specifically: Where is our modality (adolescent, child, cognitive-behavioural, constructivist, couple, existential, family, group, humanistic, hypno-psychotherapies, integrative, Jungian, medical, psychoanalytic, relational, sexual, systemic) with regards to others and society?
• As psychotherapists is it helpful to see the individual as the interface between ‘body’ and ‘society’ but not reducible totally to either?
• Do our clients/ patients benefit from the therapy we provide at the expense of others?
• Are, our psychotherapeutic practices primarily ‘…dysfunctional, arrogant, selfish, abusive, infectious, insane and deceitful’? If not, how do we refuse to accept this charge of ‘individualism’?
• Whilst facilitating our client’s/ patient’s autonomy can be important is facilitating our client’s/ patient’s heteronomy (assuming we are clear as to the difference) be even more important?
• What, if any, is our responsibility as psychotherapists for our client’s / patient’s responsibility ( socially, economically and ideologically)  for others?
• If psychotherapy has largely been the product of Western culture frequently emphasising individualism as separate from a collective social identity, what can we learn from other cultures where this is not the case and how can we help clients from these other cultures?
• If much of mental distress is roots in and exacerbated by, social deprivation and inequality, should we as psychotherapists preventatively be doing anything about this, and if so what?
• In what ways, if any, can such related disciplines of sociology, anthropology and social psychology help us as psychotherapists?

For a paper to be considered, it must be based on original research, which cannot be found elsewhere. It can be about practice, including case studies, developments in theory, empirical research, or research methods. 

We have extended the deadline for abstract submissions.

Please provide Prof Del Loewenthal (editorinchief.ejpc@gmail.com) with a provisional title and abstract (up to 200 words) by Monday, 18 March 2024. We will inform you by Tuesday, 2 April 2024 as to whether your proposed paper has been accepted for consideration. We will then require your paper (4,000 to 5,000 words) to be sent to us by the Monday, 6 May 2024.

For further details of the journal’s requirements, please visit their website.