The Structure of Individual Psychotherapy

Front Cover
Guilford Press, Dec 12, 1990 - Psychology - 330 pages
Underlying numerous psychotherapeutic techniques are principles guiding the evolution of the therapeutic relationship, the identification of maladaptive patterns, and the process of change. These principles form the structure of individual psychotherapy. Dr. Beitman calls these stages engagement, pattern search, change and termination. Each stage has a common structure: specific goals, characteristic content, basic techniques, and predictable distortions. Within this structure he defines the unique contributions of many different psychotherapeutic approaches. The book makes a valuable contribution to the growing movement toward psychotherapy integration.

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Contents

INTRODUCTION
1
Theories of Psychopathology as Ideological Distortions
3
The Search for Common Factors
4
The Hyphenated Eclectics
5
The Systematic Eclectics
6
Psychotherapy Research
11
The Limits of Psychotherapeutic Knowledge
14
THE STAGES OF INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
16
Change as Engagement
176
Outside Influences on Change
177
The Stages of Change
179
Specifying the Patterns to Be Changed
182
Responsibility Awareness
183
The Abyss
187
Practice
190
CHANGE TECHNIQUES AND THE SUBSTAGES OF CHANGE
193

The Intent of This Book
19
Introductory Principles for the Psychotherapy Stages
20
The Structure of Each Stage
25
The Problem of Theories of Psychopathology
28
Other Limitations of This Stage Concept
33
Stages as a Frame for Understanding Therapy Process
34
Stages as a Way to Characterize the Different Forms of Therapy
36
Stages as MiniOutcomes
38
The Study of Practitioners
39
Supervision
40
ENGAGEMENT
43
Engagement Methods
48
Engagement Content
62
The Therapists Decisions Regarding Engagement
64
Engagement Distortions
71
PATTERNSEARCH CONTEXT
82
Visual Data Filters
85
Background Variable
96
The PersonintheEnvironment
100
The Arbitrary Relationship between Signifier and Signified
111
Homeostasis and DeciationAmplifying Feedback
113
PATTERNSEARCH METHODS
115
Questionnaires
116
Listening
117
Questions
122
Linking Content to Interventions
125
Linking Methods and Content to Visual Data Filters
138
RESISTANCE TO PATTERN IDENTIFICATION
140
General Resistance to Pattern Identification
141
PatternSearch Transference
149
PatternSearch Countertransference
163
PROCESS OF CHANGE
170
General Considerations
173
Specific Techniques Applicable to Each of the Three Substages
195
Specific Approaches to Relinquishing Old Patterns
208
Specific Approaches to the Initiation of Change
213
Specific Approaches to Practice
217
Change Processes in a Case of Agoraphobia
218
CHANGE THERAPIST LESSONS
222
Teaching Mechanisms
223
What Do Therapists Teach?
225
RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
239
Responses to Change Resistances
243
Transference Reactions to Change
247
Countertransference to Change
252
Using Countertransference in Change
255
The Patients Positive Influence on the Therapist
258
TERMINATION
261
The Goals of Termination
263
Methods of Termination
264
The Content of Termination
270
Resistance to Termination
275
Transference Reactions to Termination
277
Countertransference Reactions to Termination
279
TranferenceCountertransference Spirals During Termination
283
Mutually Beneficial Termination Spirals
284
Termination without Ending
285
AFTER TERMINATION
292
Maintenance Variables
299
REFLECTIONS
304
My Own Style of Therapy
306
The Future of Psychotherapy
307
References
309
Index
323
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