Book Description

A rich and evidence-informed collection of personal accounts on becoming an integrative practitioner in psychotherapy and counselling psychology. This book will help trainees and practitioners develop a deep understanding of integrative theory and practice. Introducing the idea of an ‘embodied relational integrative practitioner’ will help inform your understanding on how to develop professionalism and competency and learn to work effectively as an integrative counsellor or therapist. The authors expertly clarify the theory, invite reflection on key issues, examine the history and recent developments of the integrative approach and offer new concepts and practical frameworks. Each author shares their unique, individualised approach to integration, providing new directions in the field. They capture the fluid and ever-evolving nature of psychological journeys, through clinical illustrations that navigate between concepts and practice. In doing so, the authors move beyond prescribed integrative approaches and encourage clinicians to be the architects of their own practice. • Provides an overview of current theories addressing the challenges and benefits of integrative practice. • Explores the philosophical foundations of models of counselling and psychotherapy. • Discusses the professional issues faced by integrative practitioners. • Introduces a new way of doing integration: embodiment. • Applies theory to real-world experiences, showing integration in practice and there-and-then dilemmas. ‘I deeply regret that I did not have access to such a brilliant and forward-thinking book when I first entered the psychotherapy field. [The authors] have produced the gold-standard textbook on integration in psychotherapy, providing us not only with solid theoretical models but, also, with moving personal testimonies about the ways in which practitioners can benefit from the best theories and practices in our profession, without having to become too secularised and segmented. I applaud the authors for their creative work, which will help to train a whole new generation.’ Professor Brett Kahr, Senior Fellow, Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology, London, UK and Trustee, United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy ‘In a time of seemingly intractable and widening divisions and extremisms, voices expressing the virtues of integration and dialogue are increasingly necessary. This is no less true in the fields of psychotherapy and counselling. Luca, Marshall and Nuttall have produced a text that clearly demonstrates the benefits of an integrative approach to theory and practice. The heart of this text is the necessity for each therapist, regardless of their initial training and preferred model(s), to develop their own personal integrative and embodied way of working. In my view, both experienced therapists and those in training will want this book ready to hand. Highly recommended!’ Professor Michael Worrell, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Department, Postgraduate CBT Training, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK