A bystander is someone who does not become involved when someone
else needs help. This book investigates the meaning of bystanding
behaviour in ordinary life as well as in counselling psychology and
psychotherapeutic practice, its supervision and organization. It is
about helping and not helping, giving and getting help, and some
ways of thinking and acting in our increasingly complex moral
world. Bystanding is seen as a major way in which people disempower
themselves and others. It works at the juncture of the individual
and the collective, the person and the group, the citizen and the
state, the patient and the psychotherapist.

This book provides an exploration of the psychological and
social costs of convenience-neutrality, non-involvement or
avoidance of responsibility and gives some guidelines on dealing
with the difficult issues of bystanding in ourselves and
others.