or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime free trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn more
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
or
Get a £4.30 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card
Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy [Paperback]

Philippa Perry , Junko Graat
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
RRP: £13.99
Price: £12.66 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £1.33 (10%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.
Want guaranteed delivery by Wednesday, May 30? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
Trade In this Item for up to £4.30
Trade in Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £4.30, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Plus, get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.

Frequently Bought Together

Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy + Depresso + Psychiatric Tales
Price For All Three: £33.34

Show availability and delivery details

Buy the selected items together
  • In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Depresso £10.39

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Psychiatric Tales £10.29

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Product details

  • Paperback: 152 pages
  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; First Edition edition (29 April 2010)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0230252036
  • ISBN-13: 978-0230252035
  • Product Dimensions: 16.5 x 19.3 x 1.5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 40,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • See Complete Table of Contents

More About the Author

Philippa Perry
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

Visit Amazon's Philippa Perry Page

Product Description

Review


'Philippa Perry's cute and clever graphic novel aims to be both an entertaining work of fiction and an introduction to psychotherapy...Perry's form suits her mission, Junko Graat's cheerful black and white sketches rendering the dreams, thoughts and alter egos that circulate around Pat's sofa...It's an appealing accessible read - perfect for a waiting room.' - The Guardian

'If you've got even a passing interest in psychotherapy you'll want to read this graphic novel three times, at least.' - Time Out

'I loved it. I smiled and laughed. And nodded. One to read for sure.' - Susie Orbach, author and columnist

'...set to capture the attention of the capital's culture vultures.' - Evening Standard

'Funtastic: How therapy works with all the fun of a cartoon.' - Oliver James is a clinical psychologist, author and broadcaster


'Perry delivers that rarity: an edifying page-turner.' - The Scotsman

'Philippa Perry has succeeded brilliantly in demystifying the complexities of the psychotherapeutic encounter by demonstrating not only something about the private conversations which transpire in the consulting room, but also by revealing the hidden thought processes in the mind of both the client and the psychotherapist. Her beautifully illustrated book "Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy" will be essential reading for anybody contemplating therapy, and would make an ideal gift for friends and colleagues.' - Professor Brett Kahr, Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Psychotherapy and Mental Health at the Centre for Child Mental Health, London, and Honorary Visiting Professor at Roehampton University.

'The charming pictures show psychotherapy working; the witty and brilliant notes explain how and why.'
- Dr Stella Tillyard, author of Aristocrats

'It is a rare thing to find such an informative and accessible book. Recommended as a good way to get a picture of what happens in psychotherapy.'
- Diana Shmukler, Visiting Professor of Psychotherapy, Middlesex University, and formerly Associate Professor of Applied Psychology, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa


'...this funny and enjoyable book will become required reading for psychotherapy students and would benefit anyone with even a casual interest in psychotherapy. Those who are thinking of consulting a therapist might 'dip their toe in' here, as might any lover of graphic fiction who relishes evesdropping on the lives of others...' - Paul Gravett, Graphic Medicine

'I've read hundreds of books about therapy and this is among the best…it has a wicked sense of humour and a great sense of style. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered therapy but been afraid to ask, for therapists who want to remind themselves why their profession matters and to anyone tempted to say that therapy is nonsense…' Alain de Botton, The Times


'Couch Fiction is one of the most unusual graphic novels that I had read recently and it is also one of the best.' - Bookgeeks.co.uk

'...funny and irreverent, but it also answers many of the questions people have about what therapy is, and how it works...' - The Observer


'In a departure from the graphic novel format, Perry adds a technical analysis of the thoughts and actions of her characters underneath the panels. This analysis adds a layer not usually present in a graphic novel, giving a more in depth understanding of the psychiatric issues discussed.' - The Guardian Science Blog

'...extols the virtues of psychoanalysis with warmth and gentle humour...' - Deborah Orr, The Guardian

'Couch Fiction has a mischievous humour that means it would make a great stocking filler for a therapist friend this Christmas. However, this graphic novella can also be recommended for its genuine educational value, which would make it a good text for any introductorycounselling course.' - Therapy Today


'This tale of psychotherapy in graphic novel form is nicely done. The footnotes explaining technical terms and ideas comment not only on why Patricia does what she does, but also what mistakes she makes. It is an instructive guide to modern psychotherapy that will appeal not only to those who know nothing about it but also those who have been in therapy already. The book is a quick and enjoyable read, and the graphic form provides an emphasis on the two different perspectives of therapist and client that would be hard to achieve with prose alone. It's a nice depiction of ordinary parts of therapy that often go unmentioned.' - Christian Perring, Professor of Philosophy, Dowling College,USA,Metapsychology Online Reviews

Product Description

Ever wanted an insight into counselling? Or wished you could be a 'fly-on-the-wall' in a psychotherapy session? Couch Fiction allows you to peep through the key-hole of the therapy room door and, more than that, read the minds of the protagonists...

Based on a case study of Pat (our sandal-wearing, cat-loving psychotherapist) and her new client, James (an ambitious barrister with a potentially harmful habit he can't stop), this graphic novel follows the anxieties, frustrations, mind-wanderings and break-throughs of each, through a year of therapy sessions together. Beautifully illustrated and accompanied by succinct and illuminating footnotes, this book offers a witty and thought-provoking exploration of the therapeutic journey, considering a range of skills, insights and techniques along the way.

 

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I don't want to be completely negative about this book so I will start with aspects of it which were actually pretty good. I mainly liked the visual elements of this product. It's graphic form (even though I didnt particuarly like the drawing style)quite magically made the information contained within the book very easy to comprehend. The book its self is a rather unusual size, pleasant to look at and to hold.

So what didn't I like? Well, although this books is supposed to be aimed at prospective clients, as well as therapists & students, I'd say it would be largely unhelpful & perhaps even harmful for someone who is actually looking into getting therapy to read it. I say this in the main because it goes into great detail about the thoughts going on inside Patricia, the rather chilly therapists head during the featured therapy sessions- thoughts which include finding the client sexually attractive & later on as we find out, visa versa. Shockingly, as I guess author contrived) these thoughts are even later illustrated by a drawing of the client & therapist having imagined sex. Personally, I am no prude & as most people do, I know that sexual attraction is a common concern within the caring profession, but, I really don't think that a prospective client would benefit in any way by having this potential issue highlighted so vividly. After reading this book, particuarly on this matter but also on other musings of 'Patricia', I think it could definitely prove to be a case of 'don't think of the elephant' to the new client...who is obviously already overburdened.

My main other criticism concerns the choice of client. The very weatlthy kleptomaniac character used I'd imagine very few could relate to. This kind of leaves you with the impression that psychotherapy is only for the well heeled.

All in all good idea novelly presented, but absolutely best kept within the profession as I fear this book could potentially put many people who need councelling off getting the help which they so desperately need.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Couch Friction... 30 July 2010
Format:Paperback
I've got to disagree strongly with Wiggles - this is a lucid, succinct work - and that applies to both the writing as well as the artwork. Sure, it may not be a traditionally told narrative - but surely that's the whole point! Comics allow you to tell stories in a different way - and what i think Perry effectively achieves here is drawing the layman into the process of analysis without treating them like idiots. Graat's artwork really works in that, as with the clear simplicity of Tintin and early Popeye, it really serves the story, paring images down to their essential meanings. Bravo to both the writer and artist for creating a really exciting graphic novel quite like anything that has gone before!
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
...and a really interesting read. Great succinct introduction to what psychotherapy is and what it does. Beautiful illustrations and a sympathetic text.Would highly recommend this book for anyone who is wondering about psychotherapy but isn't sure.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A psychotherapeutic page-turner
I bought this book for my young adult children to read, because I thought it might be interesting to them, not specifically because of career choices, but because I thought it... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Alba
Engaging, enjoyable and enlightening
I really enjoyed Couch Fiction. As someone who is starting to learn about psychotherapy I found it to be a greatly accessible starting point and introduction to some of the... Read more
Published 6 months ago by redegan
Give it a few pages and you'll find it's a gem
I bought this as a gift for my partner, and - trying to read it like a cartoon book and not a graphic novel - had only dipped in to a couple of pages and not really been taken by... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Lindz
Freud made simple!
I found this so easy to understand and enjoyed the picture part as I am finding that I am more visual. Read more
Published 8 months ago by star60
A bit too smug
I bought this book after reading the favourable review in the Guardian: unfortunately it doesn't come anywhere near the hype. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Jung at heart
Therapeutic complexity simply put.
Therapeutic complexity simply put. This is a thoroughly enjoyable approach to illuminating the complex processes that happen in the consulting room. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Vic Roberts
Explaining psychotherapy
This book is funny, wise, clever. As a person who trains other coaches I am always being asked what the differences are between coaching and psychotherapy. Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. Rogers
Perfect introduction
Although I love doodles and cartoons, I have never actually read a whole graphic novel before. Something about that format, I have always found hard to follow. Read more
Published 19 months ago by C. Pitt
Entertainment and insight
Previously, the book I'd have recommended to anyone wanting to get the feel of what counselling and therapy is about would have been Robert Board's Counselling for Toads. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Susy Churchill
Couch Fiction - a perfect read
I love this book- couldn't put it down- insightful and funny and beautifully drawn - in all senses - I loved every page.
Published 21 months ago by P. J. F. Green
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Look for similar items by subject


Feedback


Amazon.co.uk Privacy Statement Amazon.co.uk Delivery Information Amazon.co.uk Returns & Exchanges