The 4 main features of integrative psychotherapy

These are the fundamental pillars of integrative psychotherapy and how it works.

Integrative psychotherapy is one of the most interesting and complete therapy proposals, and precisely because of this, it is also one of the most versatile and complex.

By emphasizing the need to intervene in the whole person and not in each of their problems separately, this way of helping patients has a great capacity to adapt to various types of problems, needs and contexts.

Now then... What is it that characterizes integrative psychotherapy? Let's see it.

What is integrative psychotherapy?

Let's start with a basic and summarized definition of the term "integrative psychotherapy". As its name indicates, it consists of a model of psychological therapy in which there is an integration of therapeutic models (developed by various currents of psychology) both in the theory on which they are based and in the techniques and strategies used when intervening with patients.

In other words, a way of understanding psychotherapy that focuses on the need to understand the human being as a whole, as an integral whole in which a great variety of emotional, cognitive and behavioral processes interact.

Thus, it is a highly ambitious proposal of applied psychology that involves training on all fronts of psychology and behavioral sciences in general, but not only for the pure interest in learning and knowing more and more about the human being, but mainly to provide quality professional support to patients; to each of them, seen as individuals with their unrepeatable particularities.

The characteristics of integrative psychotherapy

Now that we have made a first approach to the concept of integrative psychotherapy, surely you are beginning to understand the logic behind its operation. However, we will now take a closer look at its characteristics when used in a psychology practice.

1. It combines tools, but it is not a purely empirical model.

Applying integrative psychotherapy does not simply consist of choosing among the therapeutic techniques and strategies that have been shown to be effective for certain types of problems and using them arbitrarily depending on one's tastes.

Although it is influenced by various currents of psychology, it goes beyond browsing through scientific research and using what "seems to work" to overcome a certain kind of psychological disorder or emotional discomfort. It is not a matter of using techniques in an isolated mannerapplying a solution read in a manual to solve a particular problem, and then moving on to the next one.

Having an integrative vision of the patient implies understanding the whole of the psychological dynamics behind what is causing the problems. Thus, in integrative psychotherapy we formulate both a theoretical proposal to explain the patient's discomfort, and a practical proposal through interventions.

2. Transformation is sought in several areas of the patient's life.

Another of the characteristics of integrative psychotherapy is that it explores all the possibilities of establishing changes in the person's life (both in the way he interacts with the different contexts of his daily life and in the way he manages his emotions and his own behavior) so that, through all these modifications, he is much less likely to lose the progress he has made.

In other words, we try to intervene in as many areas of his life as possible (as long as they are related to the problem), understanding that the improvement in his quality of life must be global.The therapy is not specific to a very concrete type of situation. Therefore, it is common that at the end of the therapy process the person notices improvements in areas of his or her life that he or she had not even considered changing. Of course, this kind of interventions are always done by fully informing the patient about the objectives of the therapy.

3. The goal goes beyond not feeling discomfort

Integrative psychotherapy receives many influences from humanistic psychology and positive psychology, so that its goal is to enhance people's well-being, it is not limited to trying to spare the patient moments of discomfort or emotional pain..

Often, the key is to accept that part of life is based on accepting those uncomfortable experiences and yet knowing how to find stimulating and positive aspects in the day to day, so that the attention is not always displaced to what makes us suffer (and that, as a result of this, is losing strength and ability to damage our quality of life).

4. It implies a constant formation

This is a characteristic of all types of psychotherapy, but it is especially true in the case of integrative psychotherapy. Understanding the whole person and proposing interventions aimed at improving his or her overall well-being requires constant learning about the human mind and the dynamics of the human mind. about the human mind and the behavioral dynamics through which human beings express themselves.

Are you interested in training in integrative psychotherapy?

If you want to specialize in integrative psychotherapy or incorporate its fundamentals to your work with patients, you may be interested in the Online Professionalizing Postgraduate Course in Integrative Psychotherapy offered by Instituto Mensalus..

This training program, which is supported by the Nebrija University and is aimed at professionals in psychology and psychotherapy, offers the possibility of specializing in this type of psychological therapy 100% online. It lasts six months and includes live theoretical and practical classes, individual tutorials, constant access to the postgraduate Intranet and its materials, supervision sessions with a view of real cases, practical exercises with supervision, and the possibility of consulting with professionals dedicated mainly to treating patients.

In addition, upon completion, the postgraduate program grants students a University Degree from the Universidad Nebrija de Madrid.