There are many books that depict the psychological world, its richness of theories and counseling models. Yet there are few books that integrate under one cover clusters of counseling models that rightfully need to be treated and considered together because of their inherent commonalities. Treated in this cluster-like fashion, breakthroughs in psychological counseling may be better observed and thus better understood. With an enhanced appreciation from this broader and higher level of knowledge, the counselor can become better equipped, more flexible, and hopefully more effective with clients. Thus the counselor avoids being "wedded" to any one particular model as Carl Whitaker had correctly cautioned against many years ago. This book deals with the treatment of six psychotherapeutic models which, despite their differences and unique characteristics, are interwoven into a huge quilt identifiable as modern brief therapy under the rubric of family/systems. This book effects a synthesis so that the following models are appreciated for their unique breakthroughs and special connectedness with each other. The models treated relate to the Mental Research Institute (problem-focused), the Milan School (circular questioning), Steve de Shazer (solution-focused), O'Hanlon & Weiner-Davis (solution-oriented), Terri Real (constructivist), and White & Epston (narrative techniques).

It's near the end of the world, and the Church intelligentsia concurs. The darkness in man's soul is terrifying the whole of Christendom where prophets and theologians have lost control. As the world inexorably approaches the year 1500, anxieties deepen at a staggering pace. Who will save the world? If today someone were to shout from the rooftops imploring us to love our Mother Earth before it's too late, would we listen? Prophets come in many forms and often speak our language. Their words are comprehensible, but their meaning is not. Prophecy is serious business. Often the prophet is taken for the fool, the eccentric saint, or the madman who's half-blind and sees things we do not. Or could it be the old lady who walks her dog ten times a day apparently mumbling words to deaf ears while her Parkinsonian hand keeps trembling to the beat of a truth no one wants to hear. Prophecy is dangerous. If we listen, then we too might be crazy like the fool, the saint, the half-blind man, and the old lady with her dog. Prophecy is not for me. I'll just sit in my poop and play it safe.

Is it possible to effect deep, lasting, meaningful psychological change in a short period of time?

In psychotherapy clients sometimes experience breakthrough moments - profound moments in which their world and how they view themselves is changed for ever. But what exactly occurs during such moments? In Breakthrough Moments in Arts-Based Psychotherapy the author shares her very personal journey to discover what might be happening at these pivotal moments and demonstrates their importance for clients' change processes. Filled with examples from her own practice, the book dips into the worlds of chaos and complexity theory, neuroscience, quantum physics, and theories of change, in order to show how the use of arts-media in psychotherapy - visual images and drawing, drama and music, sand-tray and enactment - can encourage the arrival of these dramatic breakthrough moments. The aim of this unique book is to shine a spotlight for the first time on a deeply profound aspect of arts-based psychotherapy in an accessible and engaging way.

Explains the theories and practices of both Psychodynamic (PD) and Cognitive-Behavioral (CB) therapy using psychological research, philosophy and common sense to argue that PD therapy is found on mistaken theories of the mind, while CB therapy can be applied to the problems affecting those in therapy today. Original.

In this useful and timely book, Gustafson shows how the therapist can borrow from the entire tradition of psychotherapy for productive short-term treatment. He explains how to conserve the virtues of earlier stances; describes how to handle the opening, middle, and ending phases in brief therapy; and clarifies the difficulties in short-term work, particularly the tendency of therapist to leave themselves out of the equation. Gustafson's 'method of methods' described here provides psychotherapist with an effective way of engaging patients in brief, successful work.