A Brief History of Systems Approaches in Counseling and Psychotherapy

by Joseph Bauserman, Warren Rule

Overview

Clinical epistemology has been a very prominent topic with the emergence of systems theory as a widely studied approach to understanding human behavior. With systemic perspectives have come therapy approaches which promise more immediate change than the dynamic therapies begun by the writings and clinical practice of Sigmund Freud. Some view systems and psychodynamic perspectives paradigms as exclusive of one another and even competitive. In this concise book on the topic, Bauserman and Rule express that clinicians were in fact ready to embrace and assimilate the systems perspective because the interactional theoretical orientation of the non-Freudians and other pioneers had led them precisely in that direction. The authors show an evolutionary side to the issue and work to remove some of the discontinuity and acrimony between these two useful perspectives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780819199973
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/24/1995
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	74
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.18(d)

Editorial Reviews

This remarkable book is the first I have seen that uses a historical research method to show the value of the systems notion...should be a required text in any bibliography prepared by professors of individual counseling or psychotherapy graduate course.

Robert A. Lassiter

...one of the best overviews of the theories of personality available...A Brief History of Systems puts in perspective the history and development of the theories of personality in a concise, logical, comprehensive manner.

John G. Cull

This is a magnificent effort both for the use of students as an introduction and to others as a reference work. I hope that the authors will amplify it into a full-scale rather than a brief history.

Harold H. Mosak

...one of the best overviews of the theories of personality available...A Brief History of Systems puts in perspective the history and development of the theories of personality in a concise, logical, comprehensive manner.--John G. Cull, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Operations, Neurodevelopmental Institutes of North America, Ltd.

This is a magnificent effort both for the use of students as an introduction and to others as a reference work. I hope that the authors will amplify it into a full-scale rather than a brief history.--Harold H. Mosak, Adler School of Professional Psychology

This remarkable book is the first I have seen that uses a historical research method to show the value of the systems notion...should be a required text in any bibliography prepared by professors of individual counseling or psychotherapy graduate course.--Robert A. Lassiter, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus, Medical College of Virginia, VCU

From the Publisher

Reviews various systemic perspectives in counseling and psychology, emphasizing that systemic and dynamic therapies are two useful lenses for studying and facilitating emotional healing and behavioral change. Chapters on both widely known and obscure theoriticians, including Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Milton Erickson, and Murray Bowen, show the evolution of old and new therapies. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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