Integrative Therapy
Integrative therapy describes a more progressive model of psychotherapy in which a wide range of tools and approaches to treatment are combined and tailored to match their unique, singular context. In practice, the therapist selects a blend of methods and models from different theoretical orientations to best match the unique needs and context of a client. Combining multiple models from different psychological theories, research, and practice, and customizing them to fit the patient’s circumstance make integrative therapy a more flexible, inclusive and responsive approach to treatment and therapeutic relationships than traditional, singular forms of psychotherapy.
IAPT (Integrative Approach to Play Therapy)
IAPT refers to a new, progressive approach to play therapy which allows the therapist to blends a variety of therapeutic treatment models and techniques such as musical play, creative visualization, role-playing, storytelling, dance and creative movement, dolls, action figures, and arts and crafts. This client-centered approach enhances the efficacy and application of play therapy by incorporating multiple, diverse treatments. IAPT is a reflects a shift from the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach to a new more flexible, inclusive, and responsible framework that blends multiple perspectives. Integrated play therapy can be used to treat a wide range of developmental conditions such as intellectual disabilities and substance abuse.
YouTube Video 1
In this presentation, Richard Erskine provides a nuanced discussion of integrative therapy and identifies a variety of methods and concepts that he perceived to be more effective in treating development and psychological problems. Erskine emphasize that integrative therapy blends different approaches to psychotherapy, including patient-centered therapy, behavioral therapy, transactional analysis, gestalt therapy, self-therapy, object relations, and body therapy. Consistent with Erskine, combining multiple treatment approaches enhance efficacy of treatment by matching and addressing the unique needs of each client. Furthermore, the presenter recognizes the important role of development perspective in integrative therapy. Another key point is the need for the therapist has to focus at the affective, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological levels of human functioning, while taking into account where the client is open and close to contact, and where the therapeutic relationship ought to focus.
YouTube Video 2: Introduction to Integrative Therapy
Lees-Oakes’ definition of integrative therapy is almost similar to that provided by Richard Erskine in the previous video. Both presenters characterize this approach with combination of several different methods of counselling and psychotherapy in practice. According to Lees-Oakes, counsellors and therapies may apply integrative therapy I their practice by using person-centered and cognitive-based therapies to build therapeutic alliance and trusting relationships with their clients. Blending various approaches enable therapists to understand how their clients uniquely perceive their world. Lees-Oakes agree with Erskine that therapies using the integrative approach should ensure that the combination of methods suits the client’s unique needs. The integrative model may suit diverse clients and allows therapies to utilize different approaches and tailor them to individual clients. However, it requires further training and may confuse the client.