Casebook Of Eclectic Psychotherapy

In A Casebook of Psychotherapy Integration, editors George Strieker and Jerry Gold bring together a group of master therapists, leaders in their fields, to demonstrate how they successfully apply their own integrative approaches. Compelling case examples, written in accessible and engaging language, illustrate the various shapes that integration may take. After briefly introducing the theoretical model from which they work, the therapists describe not only how they intervened in each case but also how they thought about the case at critical decision points throughout the therapy. The cases bring to life many contemporary issues and provide opportunities for both experienced and novice therapists to hone their sensitivities and skills with a diverse range of clients.

The 13 years between the publication of the original edition of the handbook and this second edition have been marked by memorable growth in psychotherapy integration. The original classic was the first compilation of the early integrative approaches and was hailed by one reviewer as "the bible of the integration movement." In the interim, psychotherapy integration has grown into a mature, empirically supported, and international movement. This second edition provides a state-of-the-art, comprehensive description of psychotherapy and its clinical practices by leading proponents. In addition to updates of all of the chapters, the new edition features: (1) eight new chapters covering topics such as cognitive-analytic therapy, integrative psychotherapy with culturally diverse clients, cognitive-behavioral analysis system, and blending spirituality with psychotherapy, (2) an entirely new section with two chapters on assimilative integration, (3) updated reviews of the empirical research on integrative and eclectic treatments, (4) chapter guidelines that facilitate comparative analyses and ensure comprehensiveness, and (5) a summary outline to help readers compare the integrative approaches. Blending the best of clinical expertise, empirical research, and theoretical pluralism, the revision of this "integration bible" will prove invaluable to practitioners, researchers, and students alike.

Stephen Palmer is Joint award winner of the Annual Counselling Psychology Award for outstanding professional and scientific contribution to Counselling Psychology in Britain for 2000. `The editors′ support for the integrative project is clear, but the book will hold its own with the sceptics too. I recommend it′ - Counselling at Work This innovative and timely book examines the issues and ideas surrounding integration and eclecticism in a therapeutic context, and provides a detailed account of a wide range of approaches in use. Following an exploration of the origins of integrative and eclectic processes, 10 approaches are explained in detail. Chapters on each approach: describe its central concepts, assumptions and therapeutic goals; outline its view of how psychological disturbance is acquired, perpetuated and resolved; examine how the theory relates to practice - including examples of typical sessions and case studies; and consider which clients might benefit. Further chapters explore the implications of using integrative and eclectic approaches for training, supervision, for working in a time-limited context and from a multicultural perspective.

Following the publication of the Handbook of the Brief Psychotherapies (Wells & Giannetti, 1990), the editors began to conceptualize the idea of a collection of case studies encompassing a number of the commonly en countered clinical problems that have been treated with such ap proaches. The Casebook of the Brief Psychotherapies is the result. The Case book details clinical interventions with client populations as diverse as substance abusers, torture victims, the physically handicapped and other exceptional groups, and the economically disadvantaged with emotional and behavioral problems, as well as individuals experiencing sexual dysfunction or eating disorders. In addition, topics such as be reavement, depression, anger, and many crucial aspects of marital and family therapy are discussed by eminent clinical practitioners. Although the cases draw heavily upon cognitive behavioral and strategic structural formulations, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and experiential ap proaches are also included. The Casebook is clinically oriented, with a minimum of theory. Am ple case material and commentary allow the reader to experience direct ly the application of brief therapy to specific client problems. What emerges from this compendium of approaches and problems is a tap estry of action-oriented, problem-solving, skill-building, rational ap proaches to therapy that balance the client's ability to change with the demands and limits of time.

This book is a hybrid; it contains theoretical sections and sections de voted to technique; it attempts to provide a historical perspective and to give a contemporary formulation of theory and practice; and it dis cusses both practical problems of day-by-day therapy sessions and phil osophical issues related to the meaning of psychotherapy in modern society. In a way the book reflects, in its own style and contents, the subject it is about. Eclectic therapy is certainly a hybrid of many strains of influence; it is more diverse in its structures, theories, and techniques than any other therapeutic orientation. Still, eclectic therapy does have a definite consistency and coherency that I hope will be clearly revealed in this book. The plan of the book is as follows. In Part I, I will present the arguments and evidence that there is a modern trend toward eclecticism among therapists and then in Part II, tie this trend into the historical tradition of functionalism. Both the common features of clinical func tionalism and the specific ideas and methods of James, Janet, Burrow, Taft, and Thorne are presented. I believe it will be a revelation to many readers to see the contemporary significance of the therapies practiced by these eclectic pioneers.