Theory and Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Eclectic and Integrative Approaches

Culley, S. (1991) Integrative Counselling Skills in Action. London: Sage.

This book does not really address the matter of integrating different theoretical approaches; rather, it is straightforwardly a skills textbook, exploring those basic skills which the author believes are integral to most or all counselling activities. Heavily influenced by Egan (see Egan (2002)), Culley covers some of the same territory but is perhaps a little easier to read at times, mainly for reasons of layout and organization. Egan, however, provides greater depth in many areas and a much broader linkage to the existing literature.

Dryden, W. (1987) 'Theoretically-Consistent Eclecticism: Humanising a Computer "Addict"', in Norcross (1987).

Dryden introduces the notion of 'theoretically consistent eclecticism', or 'selective eclecticism', favoured by rational emotive behaviour therapy (see the separate bibliography section on Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy), according to which the practitioner employs techniques from a wide range of approaches but without adopting the underlying theoretical content of those approaches: in other words, the techniques are employed specifically within a consistent theoretical framework and not simply adopted willy nilly.

Norcross, J.C., ed. (1987) Casebook of Eclectic Psychotherapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.