ABSTRACT
The development of three main streams of thought in psychology, ®rst in relative isolation and in opposition to one another, and then with the gradual building of bridges across these traditions, marks the beginnings of the integrative movement. The search for integration has resulted in part from the perceived shortcomings in the three main schools or traditions in psychological therapy. Psychoanalysis has been criticized for what some perceive as the excessive length of the treatment and for its lack of focus on speci®c behavioural changes. It has been suggested by critics that patients may gather many insights into themselves in the process of analysis but still repeat old destructive patterns of behaviour. Behaviour therapy, whilst focusing on speci®c desired behavioural changes, has been accused of achieving symptom resolution whilst not dealing with deeper underlying structural personality problems. This may often result in what has been termed `symptom substitution' as the person substitutes one symptom for another, leaving the underlying con¯ict untouched. Humanistic therapies, with their emphasis on growth potential, optimal functioning and selfactualization, have been accused of being over-optimistic and of minimizing the shadow side of experience and downplaying the existential realities of human existence and the potential for evil in human beings. A focus on integration evolved in part in response to these perceived shortcomings and from the need of clinicians to ®nd the most effective ways of helping people.
