'Initially sceptical about yet another therapy 'approach' or 'model', this book quickly won me over with its copious wisdom rooted in a mature engagement with intersubjectivity, and with leading-edge pluralistic postmodern and contemplative perspectives. It is a major, integrating contribution to developing an alive, 'new paradigm' approach to therapy that transcends schoolist parochialism, and challenges the worst excesses of overly 'modernist' therapeutic ideologies and practices.'
Dr Richard House, Research Centre for Therapeutic Education, Roehampton University; author of Therapy Beyond Modernity and In, Against and Beyond Therapy |
In this solid, well-researched book, Faris and van Ooijen explain their Relational Integrative Model (RIM) – ‘a holistic and relational model that honours the perspectives from different theories’. Faris and van Ooijen come from very different theoretical perspectives and so bring to the book a wide, inclusive and varied knowledge of therapy. The professional issues addressed in chapter five are comprehensive. The authors believe that ‘a relational ethic lies at the heart of practice, together with ethics, evaluation, research and supervision [and that] continuous and professional development are vital’ This is an academic text, not light reading – a truly meaty read underpinned with extensive background research. But it will be accessible to any therapist, irrespective of their training, and its 14 pages of bibliography invite for further exploration into the less familiar theory perspectives. Louise Guy, in Therapy Today, July 2012 (www.therapytoday.net) |