What Is Provocative Therapy?
Provocative therapy is a relatively uncommon form of therapy that tends to fly in the face of most therapeutic conventions. Developed by social worker Frank Farrelly, who at one time studied with Carl Rogers, the method could almost be called anti-therapy, since it does not primarily rely on accepted methods of interacting and communicating with clients in a supportive manner. Farrelly and others who practice this form of therapy would contend that they offer support, but they do it in a way that is very different. Instead of calmly listening, supporting the “good” impulses clients have, and helping them overcome the bad, they adopt a humorous devil’s advocate stance that specifically supports the “negative” impulses of their clients, so that clients must try to defend against these impulses when voiced.
