PSYCHOTHERAPY INTEGRATION - AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

Growing numbers of clinicians and researchers from the major therapeut ic orientations have begun to demonstrate an open attitude toward pote ntial contributions of other approaches. Efforts at rapprochment and i ntegration sharply contrast with the acrimonious debates that prevaile d in the field a few decades ago. These efforts represent much needed attempts to better understand psychotherapy and to improve its effecti veness. In this article, the factors that have contributed to the emer gence and development of psychotherapy integration are described, incl uding the inadequacies of predominant models, limited effectiveness of existing treatments, and external pressures for the accountability of psychotherapy. Also reviewed are core issues within the integration m ovement itself, such as the search for theoretical integration, elabor ation of eclectic therapies, identification of conceptual convergence and common factors, development of integrative approaches for particul ar clinical problems, and improvement in major orientations as a resul t of transtheoretical dialogue. Finally, several unresolved issues and unanswered questions facing psychotherapy integration are described, as they suggest future directions for the development of this movement .