Running head: MFT APPROACH RESEARCH
Family Counseling Approach Research Paper
Alexander Dolin
Liberty University
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Family Counseling Approach Research Paper
Integrative Theory
Eclecticism, multi-modal models and integrative theories have all become recently
popular in the field of counseling lately. Jones-Smith (2011, p. 5), found that a high majority
(96%) of counselors do not claim adherence to any single particular theory, instead they
acknowledge the use of integration. Integration is when a counselor uses a collection of tools and
techniques from an array of different counseling theories and models instead of just using
techniques of a single theoretical orientation (Thomas & Sosin, 2011, p. 85).
Historically, counselors have operated from within their own theoretical framework.
Founders of theory stubbornly held to their own point of view to the point of ignoring alternative
conceptualizations and even potentially superior interventions. Despite the fact that no single
theory is comprehensive enough to account for the complexities of human behavior. Human
behavior, in and of itself is quite complex. There is a wide range of clientele types, each with
their own specific problems and environments (Corey, n.d.). Integrative theory is more flexible.
Miller, Sward, Nielsen, & Robertson (2001), blend the theoretical structure of a
humanistic approach with the interventions of a cognitive behavioralism. This combination of
techniques may accelerate client change. With this "made-to-order" theory, a counselor can
better serve the client in a unique way using the best intervention for the given situation. Since
every, single client is different, this theory is applicable to every single case. It can be adapted to
fit every single client's needs (Dolin, 2012, pg.1). Integrative therapy is practical for clients with
a Christian worldview as well as with clients who do not because this treatment can be easily
modified to the unique situation and worldview of the client (Bjorck, 2007).
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It is true in family therapy also. Practicing family therapists prefer to use a number of
techniques from many theories instead of just a few techniques associated with a single theory
(Center for Substance Abuse Treatment). These theories are eclectic, useful, pragmatic and caseby-case specific to the client (Goldenberg, 2008, pg. 147). Not only is the integrative theory
more pragmatic and helpful for the client in the client's situation but it also makes the counselor
more versatile.
Postmodern Shift
Recently, there has also been a postmodern shift towards eclectic approaches.
Postmodernism says there is no one, absolute, correct way or truth. So for postmodernists, new
theories is a sign of growth and development. In the past twenty years, there has been a plethora
of new theories introduced into the counseling field. Thus, a postmodernism culture embraces
this pluralism in specializations and theories (Hoffman, L. 2006, pg.1). An integrative therapy
has the advantage of being able to draw upon all types of psychotherapies. This advantage is
only realized, however, if the integrative approach utilizes a scheme that enables therapists to
move systematically and smoothly within and among these models.
Integrative problem centered meta-frameworks (IPCM) therapy is in line with the
postmodern perspective. IPCM says that there is no perfect or definitive hypothesis. Instead,
there is a search for "good enough" hypotheses that assists problem resolution. This comes down
to fully understanding the clients, their problems, and the unique context in which both exist.
Two fundamental questions guide the quest to understand solution constraints within any
context: "What are the constraints?" and "where in the system are they located?" (Breunlin,
Pinsof, Russell and Lebow, 2011, 299-301).
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The ‘‘where’’ question looks at all levels of the psychosocial system including the levels
of person, relationships. The ‘‘what’’ question uses eight (Mind, Biology, Spirituality, Culture,
Gender, Development, Organization and Sequence) hypothesizing meta-frameworks. This is
more or less just a brain map to help the client and counselor to organize the client's human
function (Breunlin, Pinsof, Russell and Lebow, 2011, 299-301).
Integrative Behavioral Couples Theory (IBCT) specifically combines a humanistic
outlook with behavioral, hands-on problem-solving techniques. (Goldenberg, 2008, pg. 147).
Larner (2009) suggests that there is a group of "paramodern" therapists who are both modern
and postmodern.. They use approaches and techniques that are most likely to introduce change
and difference, despite the theoretical background (pg. 53).
Research on Integrative Theory
The effectiveness of integrative family therapy has piqued interest from other disciplines
besides family therapists. On one hand, family therapists have access to a range of evidencebased psychological theories that already work. So some family therapists do not see the need for
an integrative approach. On the other hand, there is some indication from the research literature
that integrating systemic family therapy with cognitive therapy is effective for depressed
adolescents. Larner does point out that any therapeutic work with adolescents requires an
engaging, creative and collaborative therapeutic relationship. There needs to be therapeutic space
for the young person's voice to be heard (Larner, 2009, pg. 53).
Integrative Marital Intensive Therapy (IMIT) shows some signs of effectiveness. After
three months of IMIT, there were no divorces. After six months, about 98% of 141 couples were
still married,. After twelve months, still around 95% of 129 couples were still married. And after
twenty-four months 84.5% of 71 couples were still married. Also a statistically significant
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finding, all four intervals (3, 6, 12 and 24 months) there were increases in marriage satisfaction
(Burbee, Sparks, Paul and Arnzen, 2011, 47).
Integrative therapies share common factors with other empirically proven models (Davis,
2007, pg. 345). In all of the successful theories, the therapist is familiar with how the
dysfunction comes about, offers a clear definition of health and has a understandable plan to get
the client from the dysfunction to health. Also the counselor helps the client's discouragement
and estrangement by instituting a strong therapeutic relationship. The counselor is a beacon of
hope and expectations through-out the therapy. The counselor offers new learning experiences
and facilitates emotional arousal and reprocessing. The counselor facilitates a sense of mastery
or self-efficacy; and offers opportunities for the client to practice new behaviors (pg. 359).
Common factors for successful treatment is really important to address, as this is the key
research that is guiding the direction of integrative therapy. Essentially integrative therapy wants
to know what works and what does not work. These common factors are what works. According
to Christensen (the founder of IBCT), Johnson, Lebow and Chamber (other pioneers in
integrative therapy) the common factors include the generation of hope in the context of
discouragement, a systemic viewpoint, adapting to client phase/session of change and a mix of
intervention strategies that work with emotion, cognition, and behavior. Research is still very
new and an on-going process evaluating the effectiveness of integrative versus traditional
therapies ( Christensen, Johnson, Lebow and Chamber, 2012, pg.158).
Christensen, Johnson, Lebow and Chamber tested IBCT against traditional behavioral
couple therapy (TBCT). Following treatment termination, couples showed an immediate drop in
satisfaction but then a gradual rise in satisfaction and, for couples who stayed together,
considerable maintenance of that higher level of satisfaction. The authors suggest that the initial
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slump in satisfaction after treatment termination might be a natural result of ending the regular
scheduled focus on the relationship that therapy provides. Both treatments showed significant
effect sizes on relationship satisfaction at post-treatment and at 5 years after treatment
termination. At termination, 70.4% of IBCT couples and 60.6% of TBCT couples showed
clinically significant improvement (reliable improvement or recovery). At 5-year follow-up, 50%
of IBCT couples and 46% of TBCT couples showed clinically significant improvement. At 5year follow-up, 25.7% of IBCT couples and 27.9% of TBCT couples were divorced or legally
separated (pg. 150). In the long run, IBCT can offer more hope and give the clients more tools to
use in their marriages and improve more marriages.
Goals
Ideally, families are democratic systems that include healthy boundaries, not bound by
gender roles or hierarchies. Ideally, family members care about the happiness of others rather
than being self-absorbed . The ideal is not always possible. Things like birth order, favoritism,
gender, blended families, and the presence of family challenges, such as illnesses, all affect the
family system. Part of the theorists job is to assess these conditions. It is also important to
understand the ways family members interpret these circumstances also. Obviously, most
families are not without some dysfunction.
A hindrance in the family system manifests itself when a member has a feeling that
he/she is losing the courage to face daily living. This discouragement always reflects an ambition
that is deemed unreachable. The goal of family therapy is reorientation of the environment,
system roles and of the belief about the dysfunction . The counselor needs to get the family on
the same page. Everyone needs to know the purpose of the family system itself, as well as the
strengths and resources of unity. In a safe environment, there is encouragement. Counselors
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should help the clients break dysfunctional patterns in behavior. Therapeutic treatment and
interventions must address the unique needs of the clientele to whom they are applied. While
Gestalt or Adlerian therapy may provide a bird's eye view framework for counseling for wide
range of problems, treatment plans can be enhanced by the inclusion of concepts and methods
borrowed from other approaches to therapy (Carlson and Robey, 2011, 232,-233). This is the
application of integration theory.
Summary
Integrative family therapy is still a very relatively new idea. The idea behind the theory is
to help clients with the strategies that work best for their specific context and particular
circumstance. It is born out of the postmodern mindset, that says that there is not one correct
theory, instead it may be useful to draw upon many theories to find a technique that is useful in a
particular therapeutic relationship that also will help with the client's situation. It is getting away
from finding a theoretical orientation that will solve everyone's problems, because there is no
one-size-fits-all theory.
Research on these approaches are hopeful but still fresh. It is obvious that one could error
by going too far in the postmodern movement and trying too hard to learn every single theory or
by completely ignoring all theories all together and just talk to clients randomly. Both if these
ideas are negative and not what this theory is about. Instead Integrative therapy, does challenge
the counselor to do his/her research and have a good knowledge-base in theory but ultimately has
a good understanding of the factors that make family therapy successful. These factors, are in all
successful therapy despite the theoretical orientation: a strong therapeutic relationship, hope and
a strategy to get from dysfunction to health again. It actually is simple and freeing. A therapists
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is not chained to any orientation but is free to pick and choose form techniques that are
empirically-sound for the client's particular situation.
Reflection
An integrative approach is useful to me. It is sort of the "best of the best" techniques. I
also really appreciate these integrative theories because I use an integrative approach in
individual therapy also. What I appreciate the most, personally, is the inter-changeability of
techniques despite the theoretical framework. The usefulness of integrative therapy, is that it is
flexible and editable for any situation. The idea for this integrative approach is that clinicians can
pick and choose from theories, combining discrete parts that work best in any situation,
crossing theoretical boundaries (Goldneberg, 2008, pg. 147).
Eclecticism is very useful for all clinicians, no matter what worldview or theoretical
background they favor. Above all, studies have shown that the therapeutic relationship is the
most vital aspect of the therapy (Hoisington, 2003). Clients are not likely to recall what their
counselor's theoretical orientation was, they might remember some of the interventions in
treatment and they may not remember everything they learned, although they will remember the
counselor cared, listened and respected them (Hatchett, 2008, p. 215). Eclecticism helps put the
spotlight off of the theory and back on the client and that therapeutic relationship.
I am glad that integrative therapy is taking off. I desire to learn more and more
interventions to become more comprehensive in my approach and be able to use a larger variety
of techniques. I still have a lot to learn about which interventions work best in any given
situation. Ultimately what this theory comes down to is a simple query: “What treatment, by
whom, is the most effective for this individual with that specific problem and under which set of
circumstances?” (Corey, 2009, p. 238). This is the loaded question counselors need to think
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about at all stages of the therapy. The focus is off of the counselor and counselor's preference and
it is back on the client and the client's needs.
A key that I learned through doing this research is that one of the common factors found
in successful Integrative and all successful theories is that the counselor brings hope to the
sessions. In Hope Focused Counseling, as the name implies, is focused on hope. There is hope
for change and hope that the marriage will be saved and strengthened (Worthington, 1991, pg.
23). Hope-Focused Counseling may not be considered an integrative theory, but it also is not a
tradition theory either. It is a brief, solution-focused one. In any case, Worthington is a great
source to draw techniques from that can be used in integrative therapy with couples.
According to Worthington there are nine target areas: central values and beliefs, core
vision of the marriage, confession and forgiveness, communication, conflict resolution, cognition
about the marriage, closeness/intimacy, complicating problems and commitment (pg. 37).
Worthington suggests to target just one of these target areas (pg.42). The truth is that it would be
very difficult to plan and form an strategy for all areas. Plus each of the nine areas are very
inter-related. If change occurs in one of these areas, it will have an impact on the other areas too.
Even if the targets are not related, accomplishing one of these targets instills hope in the clients
and excites them as they are one step closer to their goals (pg. 71). Ultimately, I think having a
solution-focused framework will do well in many cases. Although, in other cases, it will not. It is
still good to have the knowledge and techniques available.
Since integrative therapy is so flexible brief and solution-focused therapies, like
Worthington's, can easily be integrated into integrative therapy. While a lot of Christian
counseling theories are brief and solution focused, this means that they too are easily integrated.
Even, more extensive and lengthier Christian therapies are easily integrated into integrative
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family therapy because there is no preferred or recognized theoretical framework for integrative
theory. The counselor can just as easily use techniques and goals from a Christian therapy as
he/she can from a secular approach or model.
I really appreciate Integrative Behavioral Couples Theory (IBCT) specifically because it
combines a humanistic outlook with behavioral, hands-on problem-solving techniques
(Goldenberg, 2008, pg. 147). This is my preferred orientation for individual therapy and I
imagine it would also work really well in couples counseling. IBCT embraces features of
cognitive-behavioral strategies but also takes into account private experience such as emotions.
IBCT evaluates the broad themes in partners’ concerns and places a high emphasis on a
functional analysis of behavior (Christensen, Johnson, Lebow and Chambers, 2012, pg. 149)..
One technique I take from these researchers is this analysis of behavior. The counselor
helps the couple to become aware of the difficult behavioral patterns in the relationship but
allows for emotional space for analysis and feedback. This emotional distance is helpful and
allows clients to view their own objectively (Christensen, Johnson, Lebow and Chambers, 2012,
pg. 149).
I also really appreciate Integrative Marital Intensive Therapy (IMIT) as it was developed
by Christians. It follows theoretically very similar to IBCT, except it is set in the Christian
worldview. Burbee, Sparks, Pau, & Arnzen (2011), state that the only limitation of IMIT is that
of the therapist's imagination (pg. 44). I sense a deeper responsibility as the therapy is only
limited by my own creativity. Part of me hates the disorganized, unstructured ideals of this "in
the moment" type of therapy. Although, the majority of my thoughts absolutely love the idea of
being liberated and free to create and use whatever technique I think will fit best. This is the
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artist in me coming out. There is a lot of benefits to integrative therapy. I plan on taking aspects
of these prominent integrative theories and use them in practice in couples and family therapy.
part 2 requires 4 pages, not 3.
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References
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Bjorck, J. P. (2007). A Christian Application of Multimodal Therapy. Journal of Psychology and
Christianity., 26(2), 140-150.
Breunlin, Pinsof, Russell, & Lebow. (2011). Integrative Problem-Centered Metaframeworks
Therapy I: Core Concepts and Hypothesizing. Family Process , Vol. 50, 299-301
Burbee, Sparks, Pau, & Arnzen. (2011). Integrative Marital Intensive Therapy: A Strategy for
Marriages in Severe Distress. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, Vol. 30, No. 1, 3750.
Your journal citations should look like this:
Kogan, L.R., Granger B.P., Fitchett, J.A., Helmer K.A., & Young, K.J. (1999). The humananimal team approach for children with emotional disorders: Two case studies. Child and
Youth Care Forum, 28 (2), 105-121.
Carlson and Robey. (2001). Integrative Alderian Approach. The Journal of Individual
Psychology, Vol. 67, No. 3, pg. 232Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy.
Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US);
2004. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 39.) Chapter 4 Integrated
Models for Treating Family Members. Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64266/
Christensen, A., Johnson, S., Lebow, J., and Chambers, A. (2012). Research on the Treatment of
Couple Distress. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 145–168.
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Corey, G. (2009). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy(8th ed.) Belmont,
CA: Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning.
Corey, G. (n.d.). Designing an Integrative Approach to Counseling Practice. VISTAS Online,
Retrieved August 6, 2012, from
http://www.counseling.org/Resources/Library/VISTAS/vistas04/29.pdf
Davis, S. D. (2007). What Clients of Couple Therapy Model Developers and their Former
Students say about Change. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp.
344–363.
Dolin, A. (2012). Accommodation Design Theory: In partial fulfillment of COUN 510 for
Liberty University coursework.
Goldenberg. (2008). Family Therapy: An Overview (7th Edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole
Hatchett, G. T. (2008). A One-Size Relationship Stance Does Not Fit All: customization of the
Counseling Relationship. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counseling , 18(2), 210-218.
Hoffman, L. (2006). Understanding Psychology's Diversity in a Postmodern Perspective
Theoretical Orientations, Specialties and the Role of Dialogue. Postmodernism &
Psychology's Diversity. Accessed from
http://www.postmodernpsychology.com/Topics/Postmodernism_Psychologys_Diversity.
html
Hoisington, W. D. (2003, February). Eclecticism, Counseling and Accommodation Design for
Persons with Cognitive Disabilities. Retrieved August 10, 2012, from
http://www.sacredhealingnow.com/Other_Papers/Eclec&Accom.pdf
Jones-Smith, E. (2011). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach.
Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
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Larner, G. Integrative Family Therapy With Childhood Chronic Illness :An Ethics of Practice.
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therap. Vol. 30: 1pp. 51-65
Miller, A. M., Sward, J. M., Nielsen, R. C., & Robertson, S. N. (2001). Theoretical integration of
humanistic and cognitive/behavioral approaches in counseling. Retrieved August 10,
2012, from Theoretical integration of humanistic and cognitive/behavioral approaches in
counseling.
Thomas, J. C., & Sosin, L. (2011). Therapeutic Expedition: Equipping the Christian Counselor
for the Journey. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic Publishing Group.
Worthington Jr, Everett. (1991). Hope - Focused Marriage Counseling. Downers Grove, Il:
Intervarsity Press.
This grading scale is taken directly from the instructions
Element
Points
Points
received
Readability and APA Style (6th ed.)
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
5
37
37
APA style
11111 11111 11111 11111 1
Spell/punc/indents/num/abbr/spaces/grammar
1111
Organization
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

30
Clear, logical flow of ideas
Major points are stated clearly
Major points are supported by one or more of the following
1. Goldenberg & Goldenberg text is okay
2. Other scholarly sources (12 total)
3. Thoughtful analysis of themes (considering implications, identifying
assumptions, etc.)
I liked
what
you did
here
Part I Content (6 pages)
45
45
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Part II Content (4 pages)
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



Good
Identified approach to family counseling
Identified leading figures, historical and present events, assumptions, development
of the theory, concepts, techniques, etc.
Noted similarities/dissimilarities between your chosen theory and other leading
theories.
Identification of key things learned that you did not know prior to doing this paper
work
30
How your faith or world view coincides with your theory
Integration principles and techniques within your counseling theory
Your Christian worldview or personal worldview of family, pathology, cure
How your views interact with your counseling theory
First person is okay in this section
8
Logistics of Paper
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
22
Acceptable page length (minimum 10 pages-NOT counting title/ref pp.)
minimum of 12 sources
Total Points for FTRP
(5 point deduction per day late)
8
150
117
possible
Good content, but you need to make sure you do spell /grammar/punctuation check,
and make sure you work on your APA formatting, especially in your citations and
references. Please take advantage of the Online Writing Center that is there to help
you with papers and learn appropriate style. also, three pages on part 2 cannot
adequately cover the questions required. I pray that you will be blessed in your
future endeavors, and that you will continue to work hard. It was a blessing having
you in the class!