Undressing by James O’Neill PUBLISHED: 02 MAY 2019 PRICE: 9.99 FORMAT: B FORMAT HARDBACK EXTENT: 160p ISBN: 9781780723945 With a foreword by Adam Phillips “In O’Neill’s book – at once a case-history, a novella, and something more than either – we have a remarkable story of what two people can do for each other if they can experiment with trust.” Adam Phillips When therapist-in-training, James O’Neill, starts his placement at a therapy centre in west London, his first referral is Abraham, a silent and frightened young man in a tightly-zipped, hooded anorak. For the majority of their initial sessions, Abraham hardly speaks. But O’Neill gradually gains his trust and learns of the abuse and violence Abraham was subjected to as a child that caused him to hide away from the world – barely sleeping, too afraid to get undressed even in the shower. Over the many years they meet, Abraham’s unfolding story and bravery inspire O’Neill to confront his own complicated past. Together they achieve something radical, as Abraham creates his own kind of therapy and teaches O’Neill to do the same. ““A brave and moving book which demystifies what it is to be a good and generous therapist.” ” Nell Dunn ““What a privilege for a therapist to be given permission to share such a journey. It provoked so many thoughts and byways of the heart and mind... I loved and admired it.” ” Jane Haynes About James O’Neill James O’Neill is a psychotherapist with an independent practice in south London. Born in Toronto, he moved to London in 1977 where he taught history before starting therapy training. He is a member of the Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis. This is his first book. Books Find out what's new this month, discover our back list and learn more about our latest new title: Perfect Pitch. Authors Who wrote what, when and why? Learn about our authors and their books. News and Events Keep up with the latest from Short Books. Follow @shortbooksuk on Twitter. Short Books • Unit 316, ScreenWorks, 22 Highbury Grove, London N5 2EF • +44 (0)20 7833 9429 info@shortbooks.co.uk Privacy policy with information on cookies • Terms and conditions