Integrating self-help into psychotherapy: 16 practical suggestions.
Abstract
Psychologists routinely recom m end self-help to their patients b ut d esire guid ance on the optim al m ethod s and resources for d oing so. T his article prov id es 16 suggestions, culled from b oth the research literature and clinical ex perience, for integrating self-help into psychotherapy. Am ong the clinical recom m end ations are b road ening the d efinition of self-help, assessing clients’ self-help histories, offering tangib le support in link ing clients w ith self-help, tailoring the self-help resource to the person (not only the d isord er) , assisting clients w ith the ad m inistration of d ifficult self-help program s, using self-help d uring w aiting and m aintenance stages, and ad d ressing clients’ reserv ations ab out its use. Psychologists’ top-rated self-help b ook s, autob iographies, and film s are presented . B y their b ehav ior, psychologists can enhance the effectiv eness of self-help w ithin the contex t of psychotherapy.
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Self-help resources may be useful alternatives to conventional MBSR/MBCT requirements and may expand access to mindfulness-based strategies.
“Self-help resources may be useful alternatives to MBSR and MBCT programs' conventional requirements (e.g.trained mindfulness practitioners, the need for participants to attend a care center several times a month, and time demands) as they may expand access to mindfulness-based strategies to a wider range of people who could potentially benefit from them (Norcross, 2006;Spijkerman, Pots, & Bohlmeij”
From A Mindfulness-Based Intervention: Differential Effects on Affective and Processual Evolution (2018) · cites this paper as Norcross, 2006
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“Self-help members can also offer practical, experientially based guidance that is not typically part of professional services (Norcross, 2006).”
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“It is also an attempt to provide empirical validation to a self-help book prior to publication, something that most self-help books on the market are sadly lacking (Norcross 2006).”
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“Many therapists already integrate elements of self-help into their professional approaches (Norcross, 2006).”
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“Clinicians may also choose to recommend this book in the early stages of treatment or as a supplement to ongoing face-to-face counseling (Norcross, 2006).”
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“Self-help, as used here, is not seeking guidance and inspiration in “self-help” books, which are often written by professionals (Norcross, 2006).”
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“As previous literature has suggested, this could be the case because healthcare professionals recommend self-help resources to supplement treatment [37].”
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“Norcross (2006) claimed that more US residents ‘will read a self-help book than visit a mental health professional’ and that ‘most psychotherapists are already recommending selfhelp materials to their patients’ (p. 683).”
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“talking to family/friends, exercise, cutting down on commitments, all of which are cheap and readily accessible (Lucock et al, 2007 ; Norcross, 2006 ).”
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“Norcross (2006) provides practical suggestions how to incorporate self-help and patients’ self-help experiences into psychotherapy.”
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- Authors
- Norcross, J. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Scranton (US)
- Corresponding author
- Norcross, John C.
- ORCID
- Norcross, John C.
- Venue
- Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
- Published
- 2006-12
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 683-693
- ISSN
- 0735-7028 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1323
- OpenAlex
- W1974692347
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 4.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Professional Psychology Research and Practice (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- self-help, psychotherapy, self-help materials
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