On Justifying Psychotherapy

This book contains 20 previously published papers from internationally recognised journals. The original view of phenomenology is applied to understand behaviour, attachment, psychopathology, cognitive behavioural, existential and person-centred therapy. It presents the "intentionality model" of integrative therapy. This is a model for integration that primarily focuses on psychological understanding.

From a seasoned scholar, clinician, and teacher, this lively, highly readable text probes where the field of psychotherapy is now and where it may be headed in the future. Robert L. Woolfolk explores commonalities and differences among major therapeutic approaches, as well as their philosophical underpinnings. He critiques the growing medicalization of mental health care--in particular, the attempt to fit psychotherapy to the templates of evidence-based medicine. Students gain an appreciation of the enduring value of "the talking cure" for addressing perennial questions: ?Who am I?? ?What can I become?? ?What kind of life is worth having, and how can I achieve it?? The book makes a strong case for the benefits of psychotherapy not only as a method for treating disorders, but also as a practice that can promote practical wisdom and human flourishing.

This book provides readers with essential information on the foundations of psychotherapy research, and on its applications to the study of both psychotherapy process and outcome. The aim is to stimulate a reflection on these issues in a way that will benefit researchers and clinicians, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, at different levels and from different perspectives. Accordingly, the book presents a balanced mix of chapters summarizing the state of the art in the field from different viewpoints and covering innovative topics and perspectives, reflecting some of the most established traditions and, at the same time, emerging approaches in the field in several countries. The contributors, who were invited from among the experts in our national and international professional networks, also represent a healthy mix of leading figures and young researchers. The first part of the book addresses a number of fundamental issues in psychotherapy research at a historical, philosophical, and theoretical level. The second part of the book is concerned with research on psychotherapy processes; in this regard, both quantitative and qualitative approaches are given equal consideration in order to reflect the growing relevance of the latter. The book’s third and last part examines research on psychotherapy outcomes, primarily focusing on quantitative approaches. Offering a balanced mix of perspectives, approaches and topics, the book represents a valuable tool for anyone interested in psychotherapy research.

Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy (GFPP) is the first comprehensive approach to strength-oriented therapy that fully incorporates positive psychology principles. This book provides instruction for therapists and students wishing to learn a strength-oriented mindset and the necessary skills. GFPP consists of four hallmarks: (1) formation of approach goals; (2) identification and use of client strengths; (3) promotion of positive emotions and experiences; and (4) building hope. Unique to psychotherapy, the theory of change uses Frederickson's Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions. A three-year study is presented that provides evidence of GFPP's outcome effectiveness and GFPP's superiority in supporting therapists building therapeutic alliances with clients. The book describes the therapeutic techniques and positive psychology interventions including positive empathy, capitalization, best possible self, success-finding, encouragement, self-affirmation, mindfulness, miracle and scaling questions, and self-compassion. The primary emphasis of GFPP is to promote happiness, health, and well-being in clients, in contrast to the emphasis of traditional therapy approaches on problem symptom alleviation. The assumption is that clients who benefit by increasing their well-being will be equipped to address problems in their life that inevitably arise. Training and supervision methods are suggested and a supervision model is provided. The information is integrated and illustrated with a chapter of case examples from four GFPP therapists. Readers learn that client problems are not ignored but balanced with an emphasis on positive issues that use the client's strengths and enhance the client's hope. GFPP will appeal to counseling, clinical, and school psychologists, as well as counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, life coaches, and students in all these fields.

"Reality Therapy" is a cognitive behavioural therapy method that continues to grow in popularity as a therapeutic approach owing to its wide applicability, its highly practical and interactive methodology, and its actual track record in counseling and helping people. This book forms an easy-to-use introduction to this approach and includes: a discussion of the concepts behind reality therapy, choice theory, the counseling environment, procedures and special applications; information on how this approach has a wide application, including developing responsibility, motivation, self-esteem, improving relationships, dealing with discipline and problems and addictions; details of how this technique can be used in schools, by the probation service, in prisons, at work, within clinics and the health service and in many other areas where counseling is necessary.

Psychology has recently shifted toward a phenomological approach closely aligned with theories originally put forth by noted psychologist Alfred Adler. However, modern approaches are often presented in a language that differs from the original theories, with no acknowledgment to the contributions of Adler. Interventions and Strategies in Counseling and Psychotherapy corrects this oversight, illustrating the many ways in which Adlerian ideas underpin and influence contemporary therapeutic approaches. Original chapters by leading thinkers in the field address the practice of counseling and psychotherapy from a social-cognitive perspective and logically combine classic Adlerian theories with proven and effective methods from other approaches. The book covers a wide range of topics including play therapy, parent education, couples therapy, and problem-solving counseling. This book is essential reading not only for Adlerian psychologists, but also counselors, psychologists, and psychotherapists of any theoretical stripe who wish to keep their practical skills up-to-date. It is also of use to graduate and doctoral students enrolled in counseling and psychology programs.

This volume contains all of the presidential addresses given before the American Society for Value Inquiry since its first meeting in 1970. Contributions are by Richard Brandt*, Virgil Aldrich*, John W. Davis*, the late Robert S. Hartman*, James B. Wilbur*, the late William H. Werkmeister, Robert E. Carter, the late William T. Blackstone, Gene James, Eva Hauel Cadwallader, Richard T. Hull, Norman Bowie*, Stephen White*, Burton Leiser+, Abraham Edel, Sidney Axinn, Robert Ginsberg, Patricia Werhane, Lisa M. Newton, Thomas Magnell, Sander Lee, John M. Abbarno, Ruth Miller Lucier, and Tom Regan*. Autobiographical sketches* by all of the living contributors and one recently deceased, biographical statements of the remainder, together with photographic portraits of all the contributors*, make this volume a unique record of value inquiry during the past quarter century.(*previously unpublished or unpublished in the present form / +substantial new material added)

From yoga to neuroscience, a tour of major ideas about the body and mind. Body psychotherapy, which examines the relationship of bodily and physical experiences to emotional and psychological experiences, seems at first glance to be a relatively new area and on the cutting edge of psychotherapeutic theory and practice. It is, but the major concepts of body/mind treatment are actually drawn from a wide range of historical material, material that spans centuries and continents. Here, in a massively comprehensive book, Michael Heller summarizes all the major concepts, thinkers, and movements whose work has led to the creation of the field we now know as body/mind psychotherapy. The book covers everything from Eastern and Western thought—beginning with yoga and Taosim and moving to Plato and Descartes. It also discusses major developments in biology—how organisms are defined—and neuroscience. This is truly a comprehensive reference for anyone interested in the origins of the idea that the mind and body are not separate and that both must be understood together in order to understand people and their behavior.