Main description:

This book discusses how silence around taboo topics can undermine the teaching, practice, and profession of psychotherapy, and aims to help readers overcome barriers to speaking up.

The authors describe current and historical contexts that can make frank discussion difficult, and present factors that play a role in self-silencing. Specific strategies, including questions for reflection and group exercises, are offered for building the courage to talk more openly, honestly, and directly in the therapy office and beyond. Several chapters focus on topics that often fall prey to silence, including physical difference and disability, sexual orientation, sexual reactions to clients, therapist feelings of anger, oppression, white supremacy culture, religion, money and fees, and death and dying.

Speaking the Unspoken seeks to create a dialogue, encouraging the active involvement of the reader throughout the book to deepen their understanding of these underexamined topics and improve their ability to help clients and strengthen the profession.

Contents:

Preface
Section I: The Problem of the Unspoken
Chapter 1. A Chilling Context: Cancel Culture, Hyperpolarization, Books and Topics Banned by the State, Frightened Academics, and Self-Censorship
Chapter 2. A Silenced Profession
Chapter 3. Systems of Silencing and Cognitive Cues for Keeping Quiet
Chapter 4. An Example of the Problem: Therapists' Sexual Arousals, Attractions, and Fantasies
Section II: Preparing to Break the Silence
Chapter 5. Looking Inward: A Self-Assessment
Chapter 6. Creating Conditions for Learning and Strengthening Abilities to Speak Up
Section III: Speaking the Unspoken-Exercises for Exploration and Learning
Chapter 7. Introduction to Exercises
Chapter 8. Physical Difference and Disability
Chapter 9. Sexual and Affectional Orientation
Chapter 10. Sexual Reactions to Clients
Chapter 11. Anger and Hate
Chapter 12. Oppression
Chapter 13. Racism and White Supremacy
Chapter 14. Religion
Chapter 15. Money
Chapter 16. Death and Dying
Section IV: Speaking the Unspoken Beyond Psychotherapy
Chapter 17. Speaking Up in Supervision and Consultation
Chapter 18. Speaking Up in the Profession and the Community
Section V: But What If...
Chapter 19. Hitting a Wall, or the Wall Hitting Us: What to do When Confused, Scared, Disheartened, or Stuck
References
About the Authors
Author and Subject Index