Intellectual Disability and Psychotherapy

Disability therapy is a remarkable and constantly developing specialty and Valerie Sinason is its major pioneer. The book celebrates her bravery, wisdom and honesty. Alan Corbett and Tamsin Cottis have assembled in her honour a gifted group of contributors who are open to the often very challenging nature of disabled people’s lives but have found clinically urgent and wonderfully creative ways of helping them to flourish. The therapists and carers have found highly imaginative ways of opening lines of communication with their clients, but also, equally importantly, within their networks and worlds. This is an exciting book.

Dr Anne Alvarez, PhD, M.A.C.P. Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, retired Co-Convener of the Autism Service, Child and Family Dep't. Tavistock Clinic, London

Valerie Sinason, with her powerful words, her challenging ideas and her empathic insights into the sometimes painful emotional lives of people with labels of disability has taught me to listen with more than my ears, and, at times, helped me to bear the unbearable. This book is testament to her place as a respected, cherished and highly influential figure in the lives and professional careers of many and diverse people, myself included.

Dr Roger Banks FRCPsych FRCGP(hon) FIPD, National Senior Psychiatric Lead, NHS England, President of the European Association of Mental Health in Intellectual Disability