Theory and Practice in the Cognitive Psychotherapies: Convergence and Divergence

Cognitive therapy, linguistic therapy of evaluation, and constructivist psychotherapy display prominent points of both convergence and divergence at conceptual and practical levels. This article considers these comparisons and contrasts, focusing on their respective positions regarding their meta-theoretical models of human beings, science, and epistemology, as well as key aspects of their therapeutic stance, style, and strategic preferences. The resulting analysis suggests that these three contemporary approaches to cognitive therapy make distinctive contributions to clinical practice, adding to the richness of the field in different ways.