What is Psychotherapeutic Research?

Del Loewenthal is Professor of Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education, at the University of Roehampton where he also convenes Doctoral programmes. He is an analytic psychotherapist, chartered psychologist and photographer. He is founding editor of the 'European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling'. He is chair of the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association and former founding chair of the UK Council for Psychotherapy Research committee. He also has a small private practice in Wimbledon and Brighton. David Winter is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Course Director of the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is Head of Clinical Psychology Services and Coordinator of Research for the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust.

The book has been divided into five sections: Section One outlines what is meant by psychotherapeutic research and gives an overview of the features of different research methods. Section Two describes how to get started in the use of qualitative and quantitative methods. Section Three focuses on research into the process of psychotherapy. Section Four concentrates on research into the outcomes of psychotherapy. Section Five investigates researching the therapist and the therapeutic context.It is hoped that they will inspire current and trainee practitioners to develop themselves and their practice through research.

• Introduction -- Issues in Psychotherapeutic Research -- Psychotherapy research: nature, quality, and relationship to clinical practice -- Case study revisited -- Avoiding the fate of the Dodo bird: the challenge of evidence-based practice -- Questioning psychotherapeutic "evidence" (and research) -- Towards a collaborative approach to clinical psychotherapy research -- Evidence-based practice: issues for psychotherapy -- Getting Started and Exploring Method -- Quantitative approaches to psychotherapy research: using single case evidence in routine psychotherapy practice -- The use of discourse analysis as a way of psychotherapists thinking about their practice -- An exploration of case study method through an examination of psychotherapy with a person with dementia -- Exploring the unknown in psychotherapy through phenomenological research -- Heuristic research -- The use of postmodern feminist methodology to examine the influences of therapists' sexuality -- Researching sensitive and distressing topics -- Researching the Therapeutic Process -- A heuristic—dialogical model for reflective psychotherapy practice -- Psychotherapy research in a postmodern world: discourse analysis and psychoanalysis -- Identifying cohesion in group psychotherapy process -- "The vehicle of success": theoretical and empirical perspectives on the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy -- Researching Therapeutic Outcomes -- Outcome measurement -- Psychotherapy research: the need for an aetiological framework -- Empirically supported treatments: recent developments in the cognitive—behavioural therapies, and implications for evidence-based psychotherapy -- Psychoanalytically informed research on obesity -- Researching the Therapist and the Therapeutic Context -- Who do you think you are? A study of how psychotherapists' thinking styles affect orientation choice and practice -- Psychotherapists' "personal styles": construing and preferred theoretical orientations