Clinical psychologists like to think of themselves as `scientist-practitioners'
drawing upon scientific knowledge to inform their practice. The assumption is
that psychological practice should be based on certainty, something that is to
my mind a delusion. Science is not the only source of knowledge about the human
condition. Once psychologists accept that clinical practice is a creative and at
times uncertain business, other sources of knowledge can be drawn upon. English
literature — novels, poetry, plays — is a rich source of
such knowledge. Since the very beginning psychoanalysis has delved into
literature, mainly to illustrate theory. There is no reason why other
psychological traditions cannot do the same. In this article I look at extracts
from two novels and one collection of short stories. I show that reading the
novel or story could benefit a psychotherapist, each extract illustrating a
different application. I suggest that novels and stories provide us with a
different sort of knowledge, one that we could usefully draw upon.
