ABSTRACT
The medical model and the contextual model provide two very different conceptualizations of psychotherapy. The medical model of psychotherapy patterns itself after the medical model in medicine, has the trappings of a scientific endeavor, and is the darling of those who see themselves as rigorous, serious clinical researchers. To question the validity of the medical model is to entertain the thought that psychotherapy is a "touchy-feely" movement supported by well-intentioned but soft-headed practitioners who want to ignore scientific evidence and be guided by their clinical judgement and intuition. But what ifthe scientific evidence casts doubt on the very edifice that has "science" written on its front door?
