ABSTRACT
Literature and therapy, then, have been quite widely seen as similar activities. Both literature and therapy have at their core a process of social interaction and meaning-making mediated through text/conversation which is transformative of experience, both individual and shared. Therapists in particular have to attend to this need, not only for their personal protection but also to give them the option of lightening up their own therapeutic style. Therapeutic change needs to be gratifying if it is to be effective, and it is a mistake to underestimate the practical value of pleasure for all participants in therapy. Literature explores the texture and meaning of human experience, using forms and methods which develop insight and rich reflection concerning our lives and the nature of human experience. Therapeutic change needs to be gratifying if it is to be effective, and it is a mistake to underestimate the practical value of pleasure for all participants in therapy.
