Investigating Clinical Psychology takes a deep dive into the field of clinical psychology through the lens of pseudoscience and fringe science. An expert panel of authors honor the role of science in the field while also exploring and guarding against the harms that pseudoscience can cause.
Clinicians have an ethical duty to provide the best available, evidence-based care. Engaging, accessible, and open-minded in approach, this book outlines the distinction between science and pseudoscience in order to prevent the false, and often quite harmful, effects that pseudoscientific practices can have on patients in need of mental health services. The book covers a variety of topics, including harmful therapies, purple hat therapies, animal-assisted therapies, hypnosis, and energy medicine. Featuring world-renowned voices, it equips readers with the skills needed to differentiate between pseudoscientific and evidence-based approaches in both study and practice.
Aligning with many major undergraduate textbooks for easy course integration, Investigating Clinical Psychology is valuable supplemental reading in undergraduate and graduate courses in clinical psychology. It is also a beneficial reference for clinicians in practice, as well as anyone interested in pseudoscience psychology within the mental health sector.
About the Author: Jonathan N. Stea, PhD, RPsych, is a practicing Clinical Psychologist and adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary (UofC) in Canada. He's a two-time winner of the UofC's Award for Excellence in Clinical Supervision and the 2022 recipient of the Psychologists' Association of Alberta's media and science communication award. His forthcoming book about mental health misinformation and pseudoscience will be published in 2025 by Penguin Random House Canada and Oxford University Press.
Stephen Hupp, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) in the United States. In 2015 he won the Great Teacher Award from the SIUE Alumni Association. He has published several books including Pseudoscience in Therapy: A Skeptical Field Guide and Science-Based Therapy.
