Provocative Therapy - Frank Farrelly and Jeff Brandsma

 First published in 1974, this influential work introduces Frank Farrelly’s unconventional approach to psychotherapy, developed through his clinical work and later known as provocative therapy. Rather than relying on conventional reassurance or gentle interpretation, Farrelly uses humour, exaggeration, playful confrontation and deliberately challenging responses to encourage clients to question limiting beliefs and familiar patterns of behaviour. Written with Jeff Brandsma, the book explores the method through therapeutic examples and discussions of the interactions between therapist and client. It is a distinctive text in the history of psychotherapy, particularly for readers interested in unconventional therapeutic techniques and the role of humour in clinical practice.