Psychotherapy Integration

Front Cover
American Psychological Association, 2010 - Psychology - 150 pages
In this book, the author presents and explores psychotherapy integration, its theory, history, the therapy process, primary change mechanisms, empirical basis, and future developments.

In Psychotherapy Integration, George Stricker discusses the history, theory, and practice of this approach to therapy. Although no single therapeutic model claims a majority of practitioners, the most frequently endorsed approach is integrative or eclectic therapy. This attests to the reality of modern psychotherapy practice, which is that almost every therapist uses, at least in part, psychotherapy integration.

Psychotherapy integration looks beyond the confines of single-school approaches to see what can be learned and incorporated from other perspectives. Integration involves not only taking techniques from other models and applying them in different approaches--something usually categorized as eclecticism--but also attending to the relationship between technique and theory. This brief introduction describes the full range of psychotherapy integration models, including the common factors approach, technical integration, theoretical integration, and assimilative integration, with a particular focus on the last approach.

This essential primer, amply illustrated with case examples featuring diverse clients, is perfect for graduate students studying theories of therapy and counseling as well as for seasoned practitioners interested in understanding this approach.

About the author (2010)

George Stricker, PhD, is professor of psychology at Argosy University, Washington, DC campus. Prior to that, he was Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology in the Derner Institute, Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. He has been at Argosy University, Washington, DC campus since 2004, and was at Adelphi University between 1963 and 2004, where he served as Dean of the Derner Institute. Dr. Stricker is a diplomate in clinical psychology and was elected as a Distinguished Practitioner in Psychology. He received the American Psychological Association (APA) Award for Distinguished Contribution to Applied Psychology in 1990; the APA Award for Distinguished Career Contributions to Education and Training in Psychology in 1995; the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology Award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Professional Psychology in 1998; the Allen V. Williams, Jr. Memorial Award from the New York State Psychological Association in 1999; the Florence Halpern Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions in Clinical Psychology from the Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12 of APA) in 2002; the Bruno Klopfer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Personality Assessment in 2005; and the Wellner Memorial Award for Excellence as a Senior Health Services Provider in Psychology in 2005 from the National Register. He also received the Karl Heiser Award for Advocacy in 1996 from APA. Dr. Stricker is the author or editor of about 20 books, about 30 book chapters, and more than 100 journal articles. His most recent books are A Casebook of Psychotherapy Integration (with Jerry Gold), and The Scientific Practice of Professional Psychology (with Steven Trierweiler). His principal interests are psychotherapy integration, clinical training, ethics, and research in grandparenting.

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