While it is true that millions of people are greatly helped by psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, group, and other types of legitimate therapies, each year thousands of vulnerable and unsuspecting individuals go to and trust practitioners who persuade clients to accept various unfounded and fanciful methods.

Generally these enthusiastic - and perhaps ill-trained - therapists are themselves convinced of the healing powers of an array of techniques, some dating back far into time, that range from hilarious to hazardous.

Some clients are helped - most likely as a result of a placebo effect; some lose precious time and money; and yet others are psychologically damaged by some rather offbeat and irrational procedures. Past-life therapy, alien-abduction therapy, rebirthing, and skull bone adjustments, to name a few, might be laughable if the results of some of these bizarre practices weren't so potentially wasteful and at times harmful.

Written by Margaret Thaler Singer and Janja Lalich, the book describes actual case histories of people who participated in a variety of controversial therapies. Methods and guidelines distinguishing a legitimate therapeutic approach from one that is irrational, possibly harmful, and sometimes unethical are outlined by the authors. They also offer specific advice on how to avoid the risks of emotional and psychological entanglement with an influential practitioner putting forth a seductive theory.