The book shows how the history of psychotherapy has evolved over time through different branches and examines the offshoots as they develop. Each part of the book represents a significant period of time or a decade of the 20th century and provides a detailed overview of all significant movements within the history of psychology. The book also shows connections with history and contextualizes each therapeutic paradigm so it can be better understood it in a broader social context.

The book is the first of its kind to show the parallel evolution of different theories in psychotherapy. It will be essential reading for researchers and students in the fields of clinical psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry, the history of medicine and psychology.