The Art and Science of Relationship: The Practice of Integrative Psychotherapy

The Art and Science of Relationship: The Practice of Integrative  Psychotherapy is an easy-to-read explication of relationally focused  integrative psychotherapy/counselling that will be enjoyed by novice and  experienced mental health professionals worldwide. Richard Erskine and  Janet Moursund illuminate the central role of the therapeutic  relationship, and of relationships in general, both in the healing  process and in maintaining a psychologically healthy life. They posit  that the therapeutic relationship is key to helping clients become  integrated or whole, and present both theory and practice to demonstrate  this view.

The book is divided into three parts: Theoretical  Foundations, Therapeutic Practice, and a full verbatim transcript of a  therapy session. The book’s unique feature is the linkage of the  transcript section with the earlier, theoretical and practice-oriented  sections to clearly show how theory can be applied in the consulting  room. For virtually every exchange between therapist and patient, the  reader is directed back to a discussion of the specific aspect of theory  and method that underly the actual words being spoken. The result is  theory brought to life, theory brought out of the classroom or the  professional workshop and into the real world of ongoing psychotherapy.

This  book is highly recommended for students and practitioners of  psychotherapy, counselling, and clinical psychology, and will be of  interest to all those who work in a mental health setting.