Towards a Socio‐Analysis of the Psychotherapy Field

Abstract This paper presents a socio‐analytic view of the psychotherapy field, drawing upon the work of Pierre Bourdieu. The central contention is that Bourdieu’s theory of field, and his associated constructs of habitus, capital, and game theory, afford us a means to develop more of a critical reflexivity concerning the way power shapes the relational patterns between clinicians within our profession. Just as our own personal analysis or therapy informs our practice with patients in the consulting room, so too a socio‐analysis of the psychotherapy field is vital if we are to make forays into understanding the degree to which our profession can respond constructively to the many changes and turbulences occurring in contemporary society.