Each book in the Theories of Psychotherapy Series® (except for The Basic of Psychotherapy) may be used with a video that demonstrates the theory applied in a therapy session.
Many videos feature the author of the book as the guest therapist, allowing students to see an eminent scholar and practitioner putting the theory they write about into action.
The videos have a number of features that make them excellent tools for teaching theory:
- Many videos contain six full sessions of therapy over time, giving students a chance to see how clients respond to the application of the theory over the course of several sessions.
- Each videos has a brief introductory discussion recapping the basic features of the theory behind the approach demonstrated.
- The videos feature people who volunteered to help the therapists demonstrate their approaches in unedited therapy sessions. Students can get a sense of the look and feel of real therapy, something that written case examples and transcripts sometimes cannot convey.
- When viewed in DVD format, many of the videos feature a therapist commentary track that viewers may choose to play during the therapy sessions. This track gives unique insight into why therapists do what they do in therapy, allowing students an inside look at what goes on in the mind of a master therapist.
The therapy sessions may be shown in class, or if they are available from the university or departmental library in DVD or streaming format, may be assigned to students to watch on their own time.
The books and videos together make a powerful teaching tool for showing how theoretical principles have an effect on practice.