Much of the existing research on psychotherapeutic interventions has focused on identifying effective interventions, thus neglecting the investigation of the underlying mechanisms contributing to their effectiveness. In Peter Muntigl's book, Interaction in psychotherapy, he elucidates the role of language in shaping and reflecting social relationships, power dynamics, and identity construction within psychotherapeutic settings. Using a Conversation Analytic (CA) approach, Muntigl examines video- and audio-taped sessions of interactions between emotion-focused or client-centred therapists and clients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). A central focus of this book is on how verbal and nonverbal resources utilized in therapy sessions facilitate the achievement of therapeutic affiliation and disaffiliation between therapists and clients, and the subsequent impact of these interactions on therapist-client relations. Notably, the discussions in this book have broad implications across various social science fields including psychology, sociolinguistics, and linguistic anthropology.
A notable contribution of this book lies in its investigation of talk sequences and conversational structures occurring within therapy sessions, demonstrating how they contribute to therapeutic effectiveness. For instance, chapter 2 explores how talk sequences like ‘troubles-telling’ can elicit powerful transformations in clients’ experiences while managing the dynamics of affiliation and disaffiliation between clients and therapists. Furthermore, chapters 5 and 6 delve into the strategic use of activities like storytelling practices and chair work to establish connection and affiliation with clients. In these chapters, Muntigl explains that the successful accomplishment of these activities requires continuous and careful consideration from therapists, emphasizing that empathy and trust between clients and therapists must be built and solidified at each stage of therapeutic interactions.
Additionally, Muntigl's examination of how empathy is achieved through interaction in psychotherapeutic settings carries noteworthy implications for sociolinguistic and linguistic anthropological studies of language and emotion. Specifically, he demonstrates how empathic actions are achieved through a series of interlocking and unfolding actions between clients and therapists, necessitating therapists’ careful attention to clients’ epistemic rights and affective stance. This exploration enriches existing understandings of how language is used to convey and negotiate emotions within diverse social contexts.
Amidst growing interest in understanding the mechanisms that contribute to therapeutic effectiveness, Muntigl's book offers a valuable contribution by demonstrating how psychotherapy is accomplished through a series of ongoing talk sequences and interactions. It challenges static definitions of the concepts of affiliation and disaffiliation, illustrating their sequential accomplishment during psychotherapeutic interactions. Through his analyses, Muntigl offers a refreshing perspective on how psychotherapy is carried out and how desired therapeutic outcomes are accomplished. Furthermore, by highlighting the sequential accomplishment of affiliation and disaffiliation, discussions in this book also provide practical insights into how therapeutic interventions can be improved through addressing moment-to-moment interactions.
