Reviewed by Gail McDonald
Hugh Mackay is an Australian psychologist, social researcher, and author of 21 books. He was a weekly newspaper columnist for 25 years and a regular commentator on radio and television. He has made a lifelong study of the attitudes and behaviour of Australians.
The Therapist is the story of Martha Elliott, a psychologist who has some unusual therapies that she uses in her role as a therapist. She loves to get her clients doing breathing exercises whilst she massages their feet. Martha claims that this relaxes them so they can focus on the stories they are about to tell. Her colleague Rob is not so sure and has voiced his concerns to her.
Martha has a daughter, Samantha, who is now approaching 40 and can hear her biological clock ticking very loudly. Sam has a plan to seek a sperm donor so that she can fulfill her desire to have a child before it is too late.
Martha’s colleague Rob is in an interesting relationship with Constancia and he is finally questioning why.
The reader is slowly introduced to the characters who Martha’s latest clients.
Firstly, the Ortons arrive and immediately Martha has her suspicions about the couple, Bill and Abigail. They don’t fit the usual profile of a couple coming for therapy, starting off with hostile behaviours – not someone who is trying to sort out their personal issues.
Lucas is another new patient. He wants to discuss the lack of empathy in his marriage to Rani referring the KPIs (key performance indicators) in his relationship, or that his wife would claim a disappointing ‘ROI’ – return on investment. Rani and Lucas have a child, Felix, who is three years old.
Ruby, who is in her mid-thirties, seemed like a genuine client with genuine needs until she disclosed that she was trying to find out what happened between a client and therapist. Her husband had become unavailable, no longer making the time to have their regular lunch catch ups and then she discovered that he was seeing a therapist.
Hazel is older and trying to justify her internet contact with strangers. She is obviously lonely and missing the groups that she used to belong to. As her sessions with Martha progress, she discloses events in her early years that have influenced her life.
Things change for some of the clients when they meet at an afternoon tea that Martha organises. Rob and Sam help with the set up and then head off to have lunch at Martha’s expense.
Lucas arrives with Felix but no Rani, Ruby, and Hazel who used to be a kindergarten teacher takes Felix in hand. Martha is waiting for Bill who finally arrived late with a bottle of wine. Abigail had deliberately given him the wrong information. They all enjoyed the connection that the afternoon tea had provided.
The characters in this book are interesting and their sessions with Martha are discussed in each new chapter.
It was an enjoyable book to read and I would recommend it especially for those who might be interested in relationships.
The Therapist
[2023]
by Hugh Mackay
Allen and Unwin
ISBN 978 176106 835 5
$32.99; 256pp