Eclecticism in Psychotherapy: Is it Really the Best Substitute for Traditional Theories?

Slife, Brent D.; Reber, Jeffrey S.

doi:10.4135/9781452229126.n19

Cited by 24 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The universality of conventional theory may also explain the popular migration away from schools of theory. For example, therapists trained in these schools eventually see their limits in the rich context of practice and attempt to move beyond them, frequently calling themselves "eclectics" as a result (Slife & Reber, 2001). As mentioned, research on the contextuality of memory has led to conceptions in which cognitive approaches could themselves vary from culture to culture (Krahé, 1990).…”

Section: The "How" Of Theorizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As mentioned, research on the contextuality of memory has led to conceptions in which cognitive approaches could themselves vary from culture to culture (Krahé, 1990). Theories, in this sense, are not universal absolutes; they are limited and humble ideas that originate from a particular context for the purpose of a particular context (Postman, 1984;Slife & Reber, 2001;Slife & Richardson, in press). Even the theorizing of the present writing is situated within the hermeneutic tradition and must be understood accordingly.…”

Section: The "How" Of Theorizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hermeneutic Realism: Toward a Truly Meaningful Psychology

Slife

Christensen

2013

Review of General Psychology

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This article presents a brief introduction to a hermeneutic realist approach to psychology, outlining its differences from mainstream psychology in its conceptions of context, change, and possibility. The term "hermeneutic" indicates that psychology's subject matter (e.g., behavior, cognition) is understood more as contextually constituted meanings than as the conventional notion of self-contained objects. The "realism" portion of this phrase implies that this understanding does not devolve to a relativism or subjectivism, but it is grounded in the reality of the world. Hermeneutic realism is not considered a replacement to psychology's current approach but rather is conceptualized and discussed as a needed supplement that leads to new psychological understandings, including new approaches to theory, method, and practice.

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Section: The "How" Of Theorizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The "How" Of Theorizingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hermeneutic Realism: Toward a Truly Meaningful Psychology

Slife

Christensen

2013

Review of General Psychology

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“…In these circumstances, it is likely that therapists may tend to incorporate into their own repertoire of professional theories, common sense theories on which they are experts in terms of participating in a social context and sharing a specific cultural frame (Gergen, 1994(Gergen, , 2006. Specialized skills are constantly rearranged within systems of knowledge which are more complex than those prescribed by each psychotherapeutic school (see Hoshmand & Polkinghorne, 1992;Slife & Reber, 2001). …”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Therapists Do Not Know What to Do: Informal Types of Eclecticism in Psychotherapy

Romaioli

Faccio

2012

ResPsy

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Abstract. Eclecticism usually arises from the perception of one's own theoretical model as being inadequate, which may be the case in situations of therapeutic stalemate. In need of new strategies, therapists criticize their own approach and take eclectic knowledge onboard. The goal of this qualitative study is to explore basic elements of this informal knowledge, with reference to the theory of social representations and points of view. Episodic interviews were conducted with 40 therapists. Results confirmed that clinical knowledge often turns eclectic, showing different styles of reorganization; a social co-evolution model will be pointed out to explain this personalization of one's own approach. The results achieved might contribute to the amelioration of the therapeutic awareness of one's own knowledge structure and the use of eclecticism in carrying out therapies, leading to significant benefit in treatment effectiveness.

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“…A therapist working from an integrative approach has an articulated theoretical foundation or a conceptual framework that informs diagnosis and treatment. It is a more thorough, sophisticated, responsible and ethical approach (Slife & Reber, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The emergence of a new paradigm in sex therapy: integration

Weeks

2005

Sexual and Relationship Therapy

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Sex therapy has reached a stage of development that requires a paradigm shift. Some of the traditional paradigms in sex therapy have been analytic, behavioral, psychodynamic-behavioral and cognitive-behavioral. The emphasis has clearly been on the use of individually-oriented psychotherapeutic approaches. This paradigm shift is toward integration of the biological/medical, individual therapy, couple therapy, marital therapy and the broader cultural/historical, religious contexts. Conceptual frameworks are provided to help the reader systematically integrate concepts from various perspectives. Non-integrative or limited integrative frameworks are put aside in favor of a more comprehensive conceptual framework developed by the author. This framework stresses the simultaneous integration of the individual, interactional, intergenerational, and cultural/historical aspects of the treatment system.

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Eclecticism in Psychotherapy: Is it Really the Best Substitute for Traditional Theories?

Cited by 24 publications

References 22 publications

Hermeneutic Realism: Toward a Truly Meaningful Psychology

Hermeneutic Realism: Toward a Truly Meaningful Psychology

When Therapists Do Not Know What to Do: Informal Types of Eclecticism in Psychotherapy

The emergence of a new paradigm in sex therapy: integration

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