Constructive Psychotherapies

By Jonathan D. Raskin

Part of the bestselling Theories of Psychotherapy(R) Series from the American Psychological Association

This book examines the history, theory, practice, and empirical evidence for constructive psychotherapy.

"It is a helpful guide for anyone needing a course on constructivist therapies ...What spills out from the start of this book is the high level of respect that this book shows for client thinking, their behavior, and their stories. It is fresh and authentic. It makes sense, and I believe it can make anyone a better therapist for having read it."--Doody's Reviews

Human beings exist within a context that is constructed by our language, worldview, and the stories we tell. Alone and in concert with one another, we construct meaningful understandings of the world. Because the invented nature of our reality is so often forgotten or overlooked, we can easily find ourselves trapped in prisons of our own making. Constructive theories are therefore useful to psychotherapists, who work with clients at the intersection between constructed meaning and experiential reality. Constructive therapies enable therapists to disrupt and reinterpret the meanings clients assign to their experience, and then initiate reconstruction processes that can open clients up to new possibilities.

Chapters in this volume describe the history and theory of constructivism and constructive psychotherapy, examine the key therapeutic aims and techniques of constructive therapy, provide a nuts-and-bolts description of the therapy process, and summarize the empirical evidence for the effectiveness of this therapy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1433839954
• ISBN13: 9781433839955
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
• Length: 161 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 8.8"