Cognitive Analytic Therapy and the Political Psychology of Denial

Julie Lloyd is a clinical psychologist and cognitive analytic therapist and co-editor of ‘Cognitive Analytic Therapy for People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Carers (2014) and ‘Cognitive Analytic Therapy and the Politics of Mental Health’ 2019. Rachel Pollard is a retired psychotherapist and author of ‘Dialogue and Desire: Mikhail Bakhtin and the Linguistic Turn in Psychotherapy’ (2008) and co-editor of ‘Cognitive Analytic Therapy and the Politics of Mental Health’ 2019.

‘In the 20th century understanding personal experience from its social context and vice versa was the concern of many, such as Sartre, Fromm and Laing. That ongoing challenge for us to develop what David Smail called ‘social outsight’ becomes more urgent as the end of the Anthropocene looms. Today new forces of neoliberalism and the diversionary faux radicalism of identity politics now shape the way in which therapists might try to address the relationship between biography and social forces in particular ways. This collection of essays reflects this new context of reflection and offers colleagues much food for thought.’ Professor David Pilgrim, University of Southampton ‘A fantastic, powerful and timely book given the current global unrest and complex socio-political times we are living through. It’s both provocative and evocative; inviting us to examine and punch through our own positions and patterns of avoidance and denial at a personal, professional, and geopolitical level. It’s an essential read for all clinicians in the psychology and psychotherapy professions who are concerned with social inequalities, social justice and power. It strongly emphasises the need for increased awareness and critical reflection and professional responsibility. Through the ethical lens the authors analyse how power and the status quo are systemically and globally maintained through patterns of denial, adaptation, and Institutional complicity. The book examines how denial in small doses can be survival strategy, but collective denial recreates and maintains the traumatic relation patterns that becomes repetitive creating moral and psychic conflicts that can ultimately destroy human mankind. It’s certainly a call for action.’ Dr Jessie Emilion, Chair of ACAT, Vice president BACP, Consultant Psychotherapist, Supervisor & Trainer, Clinical Lead – Munro Centre Southwark, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust ‘If you want to hold on to your assumptions about the nature of the modern world this book is best avoided! But, in doing so you use denial to maintain a false and dangerously complacent status quo. This second book on CAT and politics explores the psychology of denial in depth. If you are open to creative challenge about your core beliefs as a therapist this is the book for you.’ Frank Margison MD, Medical Psychotherapist, Manchester, UK ‘This book offers a rich and engaging collection of essays showing the application of cognitive analytic approach as a social and political method of analysis both within and beyond the clinical setting and the field of mental health. Denial is a timely and deeply psychoanalytic idea that lends itself well to the dehumanising trauma and shock of the current global crisis and the post truth climate of disorganised attachment that authoritarian forces are wilfully generating. The contributors range from denial as a defence in childhood, system denial of the humanity of ill health, covid, later life and end of life. From among the variety and vitality of contributing authors: Anna Laws shows the role of CAT’s reciprocal role approach in celebrating and bringing to consciousness an open multiplicity of ways of gendering and being gendered across male and female experience at a time when roles and positions are still depriving and restricting. Hilary Brown captures the deeper denial by services and professions of the impact of poverty and inequality of wealth as a cause of psychological distress and inhumanity. Julie Lloyd touches on the gender dynamics and the push and pull between gender, body image idealisation and denial and shame in relation to socially denigrated body shapes. This book deserves a wide readership. ‘ Steve Potter, Psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor ­­­­­­‘A timely and powerful book. Continually weaving between the individual, the collective and society, it challenges us to consider both the mechanisms and consequences of denial. Covering an impressive breadth of context from forensic settings and neurodiversity to climate change, and poverty; CAT is offered as a frame for sense thinking and guiding practice. An urgent book for our time, a must read for therapists of all modalities.’ Anne Benson, Psychotherapist and Supervisor; ACAT trustee, Associate Consultant, The Tavistock Institute.

• 1. Denial of Humanity: How European humanism dehumanised the rest of the world Rachel Pollard 2. Hiding from poverty in the therapy room Hilary Brown 3. An exploration of some of the more insidious procedures that maintain racism and leave a perpetually unrevised problem procedure Lorraine Welch 4. How and why we bend ‘reality’ through censorship or faking Julie Lloyd 5. Understanding Denial Reponses to Climate Change Emma Chorlton 6. Denial and the benefits system Louise Kenward 7. The Political Denial of Physical Health Problems Louise Kenward 8. On Death and Dying (Life and Living) Claire Moran 9. Colouring outside the lines of gender Anna Laws 10. Denying, pushing against or accepting Neurodiversity Emma Chorlton and Julie Lloyd 11. A Fat Woman in a culture obsessed with physical perfection Julie Lloyd 12. Covid, Denial, Dialogue and the Self: Navigating Covid using Cognitive Analytic Therapy Steve Jefferis, Rebecca McElroy, Jak Smith and Rowan Tinlin-Dixon 13. Denial: in the therapy room Marie-Ann Bernardy-Arbuz 14. Denial in forensic teams and organisations Andrea Daykin and Jackie Whithers 15. The denial of who we essential are. CAT and the psychotherapy traditions Tony Cartwright 16. Some personal reflections about working and living in a social and political environment that is antithetical to our values both as individuals and therapists Marisa Poggioli and Cristina Fiorani 17. Brief conclusions Rachel Pollard and Julie Lloyd