The Art of Bohart: Person-centred therapy and the enhancement of human possibility

Art Bohart is one of the most influential and progressive thinkers within the field of psychotherapy. This book is a reflection of his true creativeness. Each of the chapters both affirms the theory of person-centred psychotherapy and expands it. These talks, a number of which I was fortunate enough to hear first-hand, show how he sees person-centred psychotherapy as a radical, deeply empathic process, focused on the subjectivity of clients, and placing absolute trust in the organismic wisdom of the person. As is so typical of Bohart’s approach, he has developed his propositions in such a way that they are both inclusive and expansive, creative and future oriented while grounded in his firm belief in the power of personhood. This book will give any reader a real insight to Art Bohart’s person-centred approach. Simply, fantastic! David Murphy, Associate Professor, University of Nottingham, UK

This book brings together a dozen of Art Bohart’s amazing, legendary, and inspiring conference presentations from the past 30 years. Art is one of the heroes of our MSc course in counselling and psychotherapy here at the University of Strathclyde. He’s one of a small number of writers who, over the past 30 years, have made a real, generative impact on how we think about person-centred therapy and indeed psychotherapy in general.  In these essays, he spells out a range of implications that flow from his central vision of clients as actively engaging with psychotherapy in order to change themselves. Thought-provoking, playful and scholarly, Art represents contemporary person-centred therapy at its best: provocative and passionate yet also open-minded, down-to-earth and full of compassion and common sense.  I’m delighted that I will now be able to point my students in the direction of this lovely edition of his previously unpublished papers.  Read these Artful essays one at time and savour them.  An Art a day keeps the CBT away!  Robert Elliott, Professor of Counselling, University of Strathclyde, UK

Such a joy to have these unpublished papers by Art all in one place. When I've been lucky enough to go to international conferences, his presentations are top of my list to attend for intellectual stimulation, challenging insights and profound thinking about what it means to be human, the power of empathic listening and encounter and the potential and wisdom of organisms in growth promoting environments. Art’s style reflects his content – accessible, dialogic, deeply respectful of difference, humble, playful, imaginative and creative. He is ever open to new discoveries, drawing on a wide range of life experiences including a love of literature and film as well as being a client and therapist and a rigorous researcher and academic. This book will be inspirational and invaluable for those working in healing human relationships and living in the world today. Art is passionate, principled and committed to a person-centred mindset while being understanding, respectful and learned about other models and approaches to counselling and psychotherapy. Suzanne Keys, counsellor working in education, UK

An international treasure of humanistic psychology and psychotherapy integration, Art Bohart offers his poignant insight and clinical wisdom in this new volume.  He’s one of a handful of psychotherapists I always read, and I enthusiastically encourage you to do likewise. John C. Norcross, Distinguished Professor and Chair of Psychology, University of Scranton, USA