ABSTRACT
This chapter traces some of the implications of this turn-to-language model of psychotherapy. All psychotherapy offers the client a refiguration of life's problems and suffering. The contextual model descriptions attempt to conceptualize the special kind of conversation between patient and health professional, client and counsellor, client and therapist that constitutes psychotherapy. The medical model of psychotherapy leads us away from this fundamental aspect of psychotherapy. Wampold B. found empirical support for the contextual model and a lack of support for the medical model of psychotherapy. Much thought and research has been devoted to thinking of psychotherapy as treatment; far too little thought and research has been devoted to considering psychotherapy as a language event and a particular kind of dialogue. Psychotherapy and counselling is a special communication context. It is an opportunity for clients to bring their concerns, issues, and worries into an illuminated space.
