In what ways has psychology become more influential in Western society? In this book author Ole Jacob Madsen considers the notion of a ‘Therapeutic Turn’ in Western culture – the tendency for psychology to permeate ever new spheres within society. The Therapeutic Turn evaluates the increasing prevalence of psychology in several areas of Western society: Western consumer culture, contemporary Christianity, self-help, sport and politics. Madsen proposes that there are problematic aspects to this development which are seldom recognised due to a widely held assumption that ‘the more psychology, the better for everyone’. A recurring concern with psychological solutions is that they often provide individual solutions to structural problems. As a result, psychologists may be inadvertently increasing the burden on the shoulders of the people they are meant to help and, at the same time, our capacity to understand individual suffering in the light of major historical and political changes in society is becoming increasingly clouded. The Therapeutic Turn presents an accessible and engaging critique of the influence of psychology within Western society. It will appeal to a broad audience of students, academics and lay readers interested in this aspect of modernity and contemporary society, and it will also be of great interest to practitioners and therapists.

This book presents the findings of a Joint Presidential Task Force of the Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12 of APA) and of the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research. This task force was charged with integrating two previous task force findings which addressed, respectively, Treatments That Work (Division 12, APA), and Relationships That Work (Division 29, APA). This book transcends particular models of psychotherapy and treatment techniques to define treatments in terms of cross-cutting principles of therapeutic change. It also integrates relationship and participant factors with treatment techniques and procedures, giving special attention to the empirical grounding of multiple contributors to change. The result is a series of over 60 principles for applying treatments to four problem areas: depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and substance abuse disorders. This book explains both principles that are common to many problem areas and those that are specific to different populations in a format that is designed to help the clinician optimize treatment planning.

Human beings change constantly; we are in an endless state of flux as we grow, mature, learn, and adapt to a myriad of physical, environmental, social, educational, and cultural influences. Change can be thought of as planful when it is motivated by the desire to be and feel different, such as the change that comes about as a result of deliberate intervention, usually initiated by a troubled individual and aided by another, typically a professional. In How and Why People Change Dr. Ian M. Evans revisits many of the fundamental principles of behavior change in order to deconstruct what it is we try to achieve in psychological therapies. All of the conditions that impact people when seeking therapy are brought together in one cohesive framework: assumptions of learning, motivation, approach and avoidance, barriers to change, personality dynamics, and the way that individual behavioral repertoires are inter-related. Special emphasis is placed on environmental, social, and cultural influences that allow people to manage their feelings and promote adaptive thoughts and activities. The result is a novel and refreshing look at factors that help people change, which can be mobilized by individuals themselves or their therapists. By looking past the formal techniques of cognitive-behavior therapy, this book explores the processes of therapy as well as the nature of meaningful, long-range, and lasting change. Drawing on a variety of classic and new research studies, this unifying approach is evidence-based, but in a different way from the empirical validation of standardized protocols and manuals. The aim is to encourage both novice therapists and experienced clinicians to re-evaluate basic psychological assumptions in order to promote innovative, individualized, and culturally acceptable interventions. By understanding the sources of change that most influence clients' functioning, the commonalities in apparently different therapeutic theories are recognized, providing a critical perspective for clinical researchers. Rather than suggesting how therapy should be conducted, Evans shows how many different approaches can be understood on the basis of common underlying principles.

An affirming guide equipping family therapists to effectively incorporate positive psychology within their practices The next step in the evolution of family therapy, positive psychology has enabled family therapists to help families—whatever their form—to build upon their strengths, overcome dysfunction, and move to new levels of harmony and thriving. Positive Psychology and Family Therapy: Creative Techniques and Practical Tools for Guiding Change and Enhancing Growth integrates positive psychology into traditional family therapy, presenting therapists with best-practice wisdom and evidence-based clinical tools to help?turn dysfunctional or troubled families into flourishing families. Contributing a unique perspective to the field that combines the research, practice, and theory associated with the latest in positive psychology and family therapy, Positive Psychology and Family Therapy equips therapists to cultivate virtues, such as empathy, kindness, responsibility, involvement, social justice, work ethic, teamwork, purpose, and volunteerism. Filled with homework assignments and exercises that integrate positive techniques and interventions, this book establishes and promotes the family as the basic building block of the individual and the community. Offering therapists with no previous introduction to positive psychology a solid foundation, this text includes essential discussion of family interventions and techniques that demonstrate positive family therapy, as well as case examples that bring the concepts covered to life in real and accessible scenarios. Authors Collie Conoley and Jane Close Conoley draw from their years of experience working with families to offer an integrated, practical?approach that allows family therapists to utilize positive psychology principles effectively within their practices.

The Oxford Handbook of Research Strategies for Clinical Psychology has recruited some of the field's foremost experts to explicate the essential research strategies currently used across the modern clinical psychology landscape that maximize both scientific rigor and clinical relevance.

It is often the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist which is more important than the theoretical orientation. This book deals with the uses and abuses of the therapeutic relationship in counselling, psychology, psychotherapy and related fields. It provides a framework for integration, pluralism or deepening singularity with reference to five kinds of therapeutic relationship potentially available in every kind of counselling or psychodynamic work. The original paper and framework upon which this book is based has been widely acclaimed within psychotherapeutic, humanistic and psychoanalytic circles internationally. It has been found useful by adherents of a single orientation, as well as by practitioners who draw from several approaches. In addition, it has formed the basis for several courses in counselling and psychotherapy which have been recognised by national and international accrediting organisations. Dealing with an issue of increasing complexity, the book will be of great value and significance to psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, clinical and counselling psychologists, and other professionals working in the field of helping human relationships such as doctors, social workers, teachers and counsellors. Informed lay people, particularly those who are involved in the helping professions, may also find it of interest and benefit.

Modern interpersonal psychology is now at a point where recent advances need to be organized so that researchers, practitioners, and students can understand what is new, different, and state-of-the art. This field-defining volume examines the history of interpersonal psychology and explores influential theories of normal-abnormal behaviors, widely-used assessment measures, recent methodological advances, and current interpersonal strategies for changing problematic behaviors. Featuring original contributions from field luminaries including Aaron Pincus, John Clarkin, David Buss, Louis Castonguay, and Theodore Millon, this cutting-edge volume will appeal to academicians, professionals, and students interested in the study of normal and abnormal interpersonal behavior.

A guide to help EMDR practitioners to integrate somatic therapy into their sessions. Clients who have experienced traumatic events and seek EMDR therapists rely on them as guides through their most vulnerable moments. Trauma leaves an imprint on the body, and if clinicians don't know how to stay embodied in the midst of these powerful relational moments, they risk shutting down with their clients or becoming overwhelmed by the process. If the body is not integrated into EMDR therapy, full and effective trauma treatment is unlikely. This book offers an integrative model of treatment that teaches therapists how to increase the client's capacity to sense and feel the body, helps the client work through traumatic memories in a safe and regulated manner, and facilitates lasting integration. Part I (foundational concepts) offers a broad discussion of theory and science related to trauma treatment. Readers will be introduced to essential components of EMDR therapy and somatic psychology. The discussion then deepens into the science of embodiment through the lens of research on emotion, memory, attachment, interpersonal neurobiology, and the impact of trauma on overall health. This part of the book emphasizes the principles of successful trauma treatment as phase-oriented, mindfulness-based, noninterpretive, experiential, relational, regulation focused, and resilience-informed. Part II (interventions) presents advanced scripted protocols that can be integrated into the eight phases of EMDR therapy. These interventions provide support for therapists and clients who want to build somatic awareness through experiential explorations that incorporate mindfulness of sensations, movement impulses, breath, and boundaries. Other topics discussed include a focus on complex PTSD and attachment trauma, which addresses topics such as working with preverbal memories, identifying ego states, and regulating dissociation; chronic pain or illness; and culturally-based traumatic events. Also included is a focused model of embodied self-care to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout.

The Therapeutic Process presents an informative, sequential, well-defined, and clinically rich guide to the process of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Specifically designed to have broad appeal and value for the beginning clinician as well as the more experienced clinician, this book includes many illustrative examples and well-defined terms.

Seminar paper from the year 2013 in the subject Psychology - Consulting and Therapy, ( Atlantic International University ), language: English, abstract: This paper focuses on the theories and the techniques involved in counselling as well as the ethical issues related to counselling. Each therapy style is discussed individually in an attempt to supply a user-friendly approach to the similarities and differences in relation to each style of therapy. The buzz term at the moment in counselling is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and while this technique of counselling has its merits it is important for us to open ourselves to the vast array of therapeutic styles. It is my opinion that a competent counsellor utilises a combination of counselling techniques to best serve the needs of the client. Having a thorough understanding of how each technique can add value to the counselling environment makes for a more productive and successful practice. While each individual technique has its own application, it also has its own limitations in the counselling realm; these will be discussed in turn along with the implications and applications for multicultural counselling. In the South African field of counselling, along with numerous other countries in the world, the concept of multicultural sensitivity is of huge importance. Counsellors or therapists in this country will be exposed to clientele from many different cultural backgrounds and sensitivity to the application of a particular therapeutic approach to multicultural counselling is paramount. Another important component of therapy is ethical practice. This concept goes beyond informed consent and client confidentiality and will be discussed later in this paper.