Msc Integrative Psychotherapy: Programme Philosophy

Programme Philosophy

The philosophy outlined here applies to your training and study of Integrative Psychotherapy at all stages of the training.

This Programme is located in the current philosophy, literature and research in relation to psychotherapy integration and the outcome studies of the efficacy of different approaches to psychotherapy.

The following sections below will cover:

A. The basic assumptions of the theoretical model adopted for the Programme.

B. The basic assumptions made about the nature of the psychotherapy process and the role of the therapist.

C. A statement about the epistemological bases adopted on the Programme.

D. Statements about the value base of the Programme.

A. The model underpinning the approach adopted is an integrative model of human development: a developmental, relational approach.

This model is located within the more general approach to psychotherapy integration.

Basic Assumptions of the Model:

A model of human development and functioning has preoccupied psychotherapists since the discipline began. A developmental - relational stance pre-supposes certain fundamentals.

1. The infant-caregiver relationship is the primary relationship and it creates an organising matrix, an epistemological stance that both frames the intrapsychic structure in terms of beliefs about self, others and the world.

2. It influences all subsequent relationships by the tendency to recreate repetitive situations often reinforcing the original construct.

3. No single theoretical approach can fully account for this phenomenon which has been called, for example, the repetition compulsion, fixed gestalts, repetition of script, or organizing principals.

4. The sense of self and ways of seeking relatedness are socially constructed and are affected by the individual's developmental history with parental figures and significant others, as well as the social, cultural, political and historical contexts in which they occur.

5. Individuals seek satisfying relationships whilst at the same time resist change and are drawn into repeating old patterns. Integrative psychotherapy offers a relationship with the intent to alleviate distress and facilitate growth by increasing the client's ability to act for change where this is desired.

6. People resist change because of the security provided by the familiar and the internal structures created in the past help them to contain anxiety.

7. The model's theoretical constructs inform the psychotherapy. The defences against change are seen as the Child's most creative adjustment made out of intense need for relationship. It is the Child's way of creating homeostasis and familiarity.

8. The resistance is used as a clue to understanding the sense the client made both of the past and the here and now therapy hour. Thus, we use this as our understanding of the past and to inform the intervention processes.

9. The Programme will focus on the academic and theoretical understanding of these assumptions. Furthermore, course member's interactions between themselves and staff in and out of the workshop will be understood as reflecting their individual patterns of relating. Students will be encouraged to relate their theoretical understanding both to their professional and personal situations in growthful and satisfying patterns.

B. Basic assumptions relating to the Psychotherapy Process in this Model

1. Integrative Psychotherapy as conceptualised here focuses on the dynamics and potential of human relationships with the consequent facilitation of the individual's possibilities to create more satisfying relationships. A further assumption is that the individual can become more responsible and will be able to make more informed choices in their relationships.

The central aim then is to establish a therapeutic relationship which will lead to a corrective emotional relationship.

2. This would involve: -

• Understanding the internal and external barriers that people create to the formation of successful relationship.

• Understanding how these barriers relate to the problems the person experiences.

• Engaging the person in a therapeutic relationship, which provides the opportunity and therapeutic space for engaging with these relationship problems.

The psychotherapist has to use both his/her theoretical and personal skills in this engagement and be sensitively aware of their own contribution to the relationship and what is co-created and re-enacted in the therapeutic space.

The Role of the Therapist

3. This approach to Integrative Psychotherapy conceptualises the intrapsychic (internal) process as having been created in an interpersonal context (infant-caregiver, infant-significant other). The gradual internalization of a new client/therapist system transforms the early intrapsychic structure.

4. The role of the therapist is to create a context of safety by ensuring and taking care of the boundaries and external circumstances.

5. Having ensured a therapeutic space is created the therapist's task is then to tune in carefully to all of the client's experience, especially to the client's ongoing moment-moment and cumulative experience of the therapy.

6. The therapist will then aim to be effectively attuned, stay present and use their countertransference responses creatively. A willingness to validate the client's experience and self-disclose (if in the interest of the client) in the process allows past patterns of relating to be revealed in the here and now of the therapeutic contact.

7. The therapeutic relationship begins with talking about issues. However, as the client feels the self being affirmed the process changes from an introspective and analytic one, to one that is interpersonal and direct. The therapist works therapeutically across and between a one, one and a half and two-person psychological approach.

8. The therapists focus is not just on cognitive insight as the central vehicle of psychological change, but working with the affective, co-creative, conscious and unconscious relational interactions as a primary means of growth, change and transformation. The relational therapist works towards the ‘activity of relatedness’ where both client and therapist are willing to acknowledge reality about themselves, which develops as a result of increasingly empathic and co-creative relating.

9. The dynamics relating to transference/countertransference and projective identification come into play. As this happens aspects of the unremembered past, often those aspects that are not readily accessible to language become enacted in the relationship. It is through engagement in this process with a client that the therapist uses their countertransference reactions to make sense of early relational deficit, confusion and conflict, working contractually to support and bring about change.

10. Relational therapists recognize and account for the fact that personal experiences are embedded in political situations, contexts and realities and acknowledge these as also possible sources or causes of psychological difficulties. Therefore, the relational therapist commits to reflexivity around their positioning in the world and impact in relation to wider systems of oppression.

11. Training is essential since integrative psychotherapy as used here, is predicated on the ability of the psychotherapist to make an informed relationship with the client and use his/her understanding of the difficulties, repeating patterns and dynamics in the therapeutic relationship to address the client's difficulties.

12. It is the therapist's responsibility to manage the self and other in this process. This responsibility requires a high degree of self-awareness, honesty, receptivity, professional acceptance and ethical endeavour on the part of the therapist.

13. Thus, the course demands that trainees and students are willing and able to examine their own capacity for relationship and reflect of these processes as demonstrated in the training context through interactions with peers and tutors and in clinical practice and supervision.

14. These relational skills will include conscious and unconscious aspects, emotional and intellectual understanding. Therefore, the Course/Programme will provide for learning and opportunities to encompass these aspects as well as demanding personal involvement from participants.

C. The Epistemological Basis of the Programme

Integrative psychotherapy holds that at this point in time, and for a variety of reasons, there is a thrust toward integrating approaches to psychotherapy. This movement towards integration comes after decades of proliferation of approaches to the point where there are over 400 kinds of psychotherapy (Norcross and Goldfried 1994).

There are three basic ways in which integration can be conceptualised:

Technical eclecticism

Methods of psychotherapy are chosen to suit the problem client and therapist with less regard for theoretical integration but more concern with what works.

Theoretical integration

Here two or more fundamental approaches are integrated and/or blended to create a new form.

Common factors

In this approach elements common to all forms of psychotherapy are identified as the central aspects to healing and change.

The present Programme is based on a theoretical integration of the following epistemological bases: -

• Constructivism

Human knowledge, (making meaning) including that about relationships, self, others and the world is constructed in relationship and can be re-made in new relationships.

• Phenomenological

The client's subjective experience is his/her truth and we use that as a starting point, accepting what's given and honouring the client's world as it is.

• Field theory

Which states that life is always in flux and contains conflicts towards growth and regression.

• Developmental Self-Psychology & Relational Psychotherapy

Which states that early relationships are primary in forming internal structures that influence the development of subsequent relationships. Relational Psychotherapy is a model driven by the client's experience and the client's needs.

• Humanism

Which is essentially optimistic about human potential, seeing growth and creativity as innate forces, being impacted by the wider environmental conditions. Growth in this context is movement towards authentic expression, encompassing mind, body, feeling, soul and spirit.

We recognise value and try to implement the consequences of adopting basic epistemological assumptions about human knowledge and experience. So that in this approach we not only allow but actively encourage and support individuals to construct their own perspectives and needs. The way is left open to the possibilities of other forms and approaches, such as common factors, towards psychotherapy integration.

D. A Statement of Values

The following list of values are adopted by the teaching and training staff and is integral to their philosophy of teaching and practice.

1. An individual's right to be different is not only supported by the epistemological stance adopted but is central to the values of integrative psychotherapy.

2. A continual challenge by the Programme of structural or historical inequality such as class, racism, sexism, ageism.

3. Course members will be encouraged to think about abuse of power, impact on the other and what is co-created. Students are invited to give constructive feedback about how someone is impacting them and be open to receiving such feedback from peers, tutors, the Programme lead and SPTI Staff.

4. Humanism and constructivism hold that personal growth and change is possible and it requires intrapsychic, interpersonal as well as social and political awareness that may result in deconstruction and reconstruction of self-understanding.

5. The literature and reports on various forms of abuse clients may be subjected to, is taken seriously.

6. The learning environment created on the course is such that will maximise opportunity for members to share experience, perspectives and concerns in a way which recognises and values difference and encourages creative personal development.

7. The course staff will attempt to provide support for course members who are members of both visible and invisible minorities

8. Students will be encouraged and supported by staff to take responsibility for their own learning..