Why Ethics Matter in Psychotherapy

Abstract

The clinical practice of psychotherapy is saturated with ethics and moralities. Having an Oxford Handbook of Psychotherapy Ethics seems a necessity in a contemporary world where visions of the good seem up for grabs; subject to whomever shouts the loudest and the most often. The quiet exchanges behind (typically) closed doors, which consider what the good is for the patient, what it means, and how to secure it, seem more crucial than ever. The Oxford Handbook of Psychotherapy Ethics aims to provide the most comprehensive reference textbook of psychotherapy ethics; to offer benchmark chapters as go-to guides for a wide variety of practitioners, scholars, policymakers, and patients; to address conceptual, philosophical, cultural, and religious perspectives while also addressing everyday practice concerns; and to identify areas of ethical consensus and convention, while identifying unresolved issues as well as identifying new, problematic areas needing further analysis and research.