You know when you read a book and it is so fundamentally ‘self’ shaping that you find yourself floating back to the ideas years after reading it? Hopefully you do. Because it is a delicious experience.
For me, What Is Philosophy? by Deleuze and Guattari is that book. These non-traditional French rascals suggest that philosophy is fundamentally the creation of concepts – distinct from science and art –which enables us to navigate and transform reality by inventing new ways of understanding the world.
They suggest that philosophy is a dynamic and creative process that confronts chaos, continually reshaping thought through the invention of concepts on a ‘plane of immanence’. More on that later. It’s a lofty goal to explain a complex concept in such simple terms, but my gosh I think they’ve done it!
As a trained integrative psychotherapist who has earned her honours in Psychology and who has her sights set on a PhD in the field, something I contemplate OFTEN is a similarly lofty question, ‘What is therapy?’
But before we fall too far down this (hopefully) therapeutic rabbit hole. I must clear something up.
Is psychotherapy distinct from psychology?
As futile as it is, I adore trying to distil complex subjects into simple explanations – especially now as I’m armed with the inspiration of the two philosophical Frenchmen I mentioned earlier.
As I contemplate the differences in my studies of psychotherapy and psychology, I would suggest that psychotherapy is relationally based – it uses the therapeutic relationship to garner healing, and psychology is scientifically based – using modalities created through the scientific study and assessment of mind and behaviour to work towards healing.
What that looks like in the therapy room equates to very different experiences for clients. In my many (many) experiences as a client with both psychotherapists and psychologists over many (MANY!) years of therapy, it feels like psychotherapists do therapy with clients and psychologists do therapy to clients.
Of course, as professionals progress in their careers in both disciplines there is an interesting integration that occurs between the doing ‘with’ & ‘to’ for both psychologists and psychotherapists.
One thing that gnaws at my mind like a buzzing electrical line exposed to the rain, is the space where therapy takes place. How do we conceptualize it, how do we define this space beyond a room, beyond a chair?
The plane of immanence
Those non-traditional French rascals did me a HUGE favour when they answered the question ‘What is Philosophy?’ Especially when they introduced me to the idea of the ‘Plane of Immanence’.
This concept describes a foundational dimension in philosophy where all ideas, events, and realities coexist on equal footing, free from appeal to any higher or external authority.
Within this framework, thought and existence are seen as dynamic processes unfolding in the here and now, with creativity and connection at their very core, always grounded in the world itself.
To me, the here and now inherent in the ‘plane of imminence’ is a fantastic way of conceptualising the space that the therapeutic process takes place.
So… wait, what IS therapy?
If we bring together the ideas of therapy ‘with’ and therapy ‘to’ and situate them within the plane of immanence, the answer to ‘what is therapy?’ becomes clearer.
Therapy is a dynamic process that unfolds on a shared plane of immanence – a unique, co-created space where therapist and client encounter each other as equals, moving fluidly between working ‘with’ and ‘to’ one another as the situation calls for.
It is neither simply the application of techniques to a passive recipient nor solely a collaborative journey; rather, it is the interplay of these approaches within a living, relational context. In this immanent space, healing and transformation emerge through authentic connection, creative exploration, and the ongoing reinvention of meaning, all anchored in the present and hopefully liberated from external hierarchies or fixed authorities.
What I have come to realise as I continue contemplating on my work with clients is that therapy is a deeply human process, one we invite others to engage in ‘with’ us or ‘to’ us, always within the context of relationship with a profound focus on what is here and now, and how that relates to then and there.
The strength and quality of this relationship shapes how deeply we can explore together, revealing our resolve, flexibility, tolerance, and willingness to remain connected.
In this sense, therapy becomes a journey of mutual exploration, awareness, and discovery. The therapeutic relationship itself forms the plane of immanence – a living space where we learn, grow, and, hopefully, heal amidst the unpredictability of life’s ups and downs.
It is only in relationship that we discover how to need others without losing ourselves, how to help ourselves without abandoning others, and how to see ourselves more clearly by trusting and understanding the perspectives of those around us.
Through facing the inevitable challenges of human connection, we may find inspiration, acceptance, and the courage to seek help when we cannot help ourselves. And if that ain’t therapy, then someone’s been selling me a very expensive hobby.
Joy Sparkes
