A Primer on Psychotherapy Integration

Abstract

This opening chapter explicates the broad context of psychotherapy integration and sets the stage for the subsequent chapters in the volume. As the chapter title indicates, the authors offer a primer on integration in the dual sense of a primer (soft i) as a small introduction to the subject and of a primer (hard i) as a basecoat or undercoat for the following applications. The authors describe the converging reasons for the growth of psychotherapy integration and then the four primary routes to integration. This segues into the varieties of integration, which includes summaries of recent studies on the prevalence, subtypes, and practices of integrative therapists. The chapter concludes with a discussion of recurrent obstacles to psychotherapy integration.