Contemporary Theories in Counseling and Psychotherapy

Contemporary Theories in Counseling and Psychotherapy provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to cutting-edge therapeutic approaches that are widely revered and used, but generally not included within traditional counseling theories textbooks. Readers learn theories that will not only keep their knowledge current in an evolving field, but also will help to improve and support the ongoing development of their personal practice.

The text features contributed chapters written by scholars in the discipline that cover the following contemporary theories: contemporary psychodynamic therapy (CPT); contemporary person-centered counseling (CPCC); cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); integrative post-modern therapy (IPMT: narrative, solution-focused, relational-cultural); dialectical behavior therapy (DBT); acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT); motivational interviewing (MI); positive counseling; neurocounseling (including EMDR); and complementary, alternative, and integrative modalities (CAM).

Each chapter presents the history of the theory, critical views of human nature, key concepts, techniques, and an overview of the counseling process. Social and cultural issues and the efficacy of each theory are discussed. Each chapter concludes with a vignette that demonstrates a client experiencing the counseling approach, followed by questions to pique students’ interest. Video demonstrations of select theories are included.

A thoroughly modern and critical resource, Contemporary Theories in Counseling and Psychotherapy is ideal for courses focusing on current theories of counseling and psychotherapy. It’s also an excellent supplementary resource for courses on classical theory.