Psychotherapy as Religion: The Civil Divide in America

Article Abstract

In Psychotherapy as Religion, author William M.Epstein seeks to demonstrate that the entire field of psychotherapyis based upon unscientific concepts and hasnever been shown to effectively treat any mental disorder.Dr. Epstein, a professor of social work at the Universityof Nevada, reports that the basis of his premises are derivedfrom reviewing randomized controlled trials that addressedeffectiveness and were published within the past decadein either the American Journal of Psychiatry, Archivesof General Psychiatry, or the Journal of Consulting andClinical Psychology. The introduction presents the author’s conclusion that psychotherapy, while lacking in efficacy, iswidely accepted in America because it is in concordancewith the nation’s “heroic individualism” and belief in personalresponsibility for social ills.