Modern Eclectic Therapy: A Functional Orientation to Counseling and Psychotherapy

This book is a hybrid; it contains theoretical sections and sections de- voted to technique; it attempts to provide a historical perspective and to give a contemporary formulation of theory and practice; and it dis- cusses both practical problems of day-by-day therapy sessions and phil- osophical issues related to the meaning of psychotherapy in modern society. In a way the book reflects, in its own style and contents, the subject it is about. Eclectic therapy is certainly a hybrid of many strains of influence; it is more diverse in its structures, theories, and techniques than any other therapeutic orientation. Still, eclectic therapy does have a definite consistency and coherency that I hope will be clearly revealed in this book. The plan of the book is as follows. In Part I, I will present the arguments and evidence that there is a modern trend toward eclecticism among therapists and then in Part II, tie this trend into the historical tradition of functionalism. Both the common features of clinical func- tionalism and the specific ideas and methods of James, Janet, Burrow, Taft, and Thorne are presented. I believe it will be a revelation to many readers to see the contemporary significance of the therapies practiced by these eclectic pioneers.