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Roberta Russell is an American psychotherapist and author of the Report on Effective Psychotherapy, which attempted to discern which of all the varied forms of psychotherapy - behaviorist, psychoanalytic, humanistic, etc etc ad infinitum - are the most effective. Her conclusions were that whatever technique or school of thought a psychotherapist adheres to is more or less irrelevant. What makes for effective psychotherapy is the ability of the psychotherapist to bond and empathize with the client as another human being. R. D. Laing and Me is in many respects a continuation of this theme. The book describes her experiences with R. D. Laing during the early 1980s, in which the two of them agreed to spend a period co-counselling each other, with the intention of producing a self-help book on human relationships. This book is the result. Russell chronicles the dialogue that emerged between her and Laing, as both parties struggled to come to terms with their own internal demons, and tried to show each other the way forward. As the tale unfolds, the book becomes more and more peppered with psychological insights about the way in which people relate to each other, and the healing power that can emerge from relationships. As Laing says in the introduction to the book, "This book is about power and love. It is intended to give you, our reader, the power to get what you love. The power which this book confers on you works only when you love the power of love, when you are in love with love and not with power." One might also add that the book is also about philosophy, friendship, rivalry, forgiveness and, ultimately, overcoming the past by finding peace in the present. The overall effect is intriguing - part self-help book, part description of a unique encounter between two renowned psychotherapists. As a climactic finale to this, Russell offers her "Twenty Two Steps to Intimacy" - her lessons in love - as a guide to finding and developing meaningful relationships with others. It is interesting that Russell plays heavily on the essential similarities between relationships in everyday life and the psychotherapeutic encounter. This is not really surprising, since, to use a quote by Thomas Szasz that Russell uses in the book, "Psychotherapy doesn't exist. What does exist is people interacting with each other." One suspects that most people will be initially attracted to this book by the name of Laing; however, this is ultimately Russell's book rather than Laing's. Because of this, anyone hoping for plenty of insights into Laing in the closing decade of his life will probably come away disappointed. However, one may enjoy the book simply for what it is - a study of human relationships by two people who have made these relationships their trade. You can visit the author's home page, with information about how to order books online, by clicking here. |
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