Integrative counseling is a therapeutic approach that combines multiple counseling theories and modalities to meet the diverse needs of clients.
What is Integrative Counseling?
- Integration of Techniques: An integrative counselor promotes healing and behavior change by selectively drawing techniques from different counseling approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic theories, etc based on a client’s situation.
- Holistic Perspective: Integrative counseling looks at clients holistically – understanding their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, relationships, physical health, environment, and past experiences to get the full picture.
- Tailored Treatment Plans: Based on comprehensive client assessments, integrative counselors design highly customizable treatment plans by incorporating techniques from approaches that resonate with that individual. This leads to better counseling outcomes.
- Common Factors Model: Integrative counselors leverage the common factors – such as the therapeutic bond, instilling hopefulness, facilitating emotional release etc – that drive positive change across most counseling modalities. They weave them through all sessions and techniques used.
- Goal of Integration: The primary goal is to integrate different theories, approaches and treatment tools strategically in order to provide the most evidence-based and personalized care pathway for facilitating healing and growth in clients seeking therapy.
In essence, integrative counseling draws from the entire toolbox of psychology practices to meet unique client needs in a truly customized way.
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