Integrative and Eclectic Counselling and Psychotherapy

Book excerpt: 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.