Hugh Mackay
The Therapist
Allen & Unwin, 2023
Martha Elliott, maverick psychotherapist, harbours some dark secrets from her own past, and is more interested in achieving good outcomes for her clients than playing by the rules. Martha blends counselling with breathing exercises, meditation, foot massages . . . whatever it takes. In a series of intense encounters with her clients, deep insights and raw truths about human nature emerge, including reflections on the nature of psychotherapy itself.
Rob, Martha's colleague, is trapped in a tempestuous relationship with the beautiful and feisty Constancia, and Martha wonders if he will ever find the resolve to free himself. Samantha, Martha's daughter, hears her biological clock ticking, but finding the right sperm donor is proving to be harder than she expected . . .
Then there's the mysterious couple who arrive in Martha's office. Who are they? And what is it that they know about her?
With tenderness and compassion, Hugh Mackay's captivating novel, The Therapist, explores some of the deepest yearnings of the human heart. It's a powerful and poignant story of deception, ambiguity, lust and love – and the challenge of living with the consequences of our actions.
About the Author
Hugh Mackay is a social psychologist and bestselling author. The Therapist is his ninth novel. His non-fiction writing covers social and cultural analysis, psychology, communication and ethics. Hugh is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of New South Wales, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015. He lives in Canberra.
