Introduction

The literature of the helping professions contains more than its fair share of panaceas and schools of thought. Psychologically orientated caseworkers battle with politically minded community workers, while behaviour therapists fight it out with psychoanalysts. Psychotherapy, for example, encompasses L. Krasner’s behaviour theory-based ‘reinforcement machine’ on the one hand, and Carl Rogers’ accepting, empathising, congruent persons on the other. However, H. J. Eysenck’s attack, and often the defences put forward, is in essence inappropriate because psychotherapy, etc. can hardly be considered a unitary phenomenon. Jerome Frank, in his analysis of comparative healing methods, including psychotherapy, has also shown the value of identifying the common characteristics which bring about change. Thus the analysis applies to the change process at this fundamental level, and umbrella terms such as casework, psychotherapy, counselling, etc. can be left aside. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.