ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the role of values in psychotherapy. To this aim, it describes some of the most basic concepts in axiology or value theory. It goes on to describe how such issues are typically handled within professional ethics. Evidence-based practice in psychology and professional ethics are criticised for not providing an adequate conceptualisation of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is constituted by values. The various psychotherapy schools are built on ethoses which are normative presuppositions determining the meaning of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ treatment. Thus, different psychotherapy schools do not share the same aim. Four examples of various psychotherapy schools’ ethoses are as follows: 1. The ethos of cognitive-behavioural therapy, 2. The ethos of relational psychodynamic therapy, 3. The ethos of existential therapy, and 4. The ethos of integrative psychotherapy.
