Alcoholism is such a common condition that therapists must be exposed to clients who suffer from it, whether the therapist is


  

 
 
Case Studies in Integrative Psychotherapy – An Opportunity for 

Challenge and Growth  
(Editorial) 

 
 
          Gregor Žvelc 
 
 
 
 With great pleasure I announce the new issue of the International Journal 
of Integrative Psychotherapy, which is dedicated to the exploration and 
discussion of an integrative case study written by Richard G. Erskine. Richard 
Erskine has written a thought provoking case study in three parts. In this issue 
we publish the first part of the case study titled: Early Affect-Confusion: The 
“Borderline” Between Despair and Rage. The next two parts will be published in 
subsequent issues of the International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy.  
 
Four respectable psychotherapists from different countries were asked to write 
responses to all three parts of Erskine’s case study. They are: James Allen 
(USA), Grover E. Criswell (USA), Ray Little (GB) and Maša Žvelc (Slovenia). 
They were asked to write from the perspective as if they were the 
psychotherapist working with Erskine’s client. They were invited to reflect on the 
following questions: If you would be working with the client, what would you have 
in mind regarding theory and practice? What would you do similarly and what 
perhaps differently? The responses of four psychotherapists are edited into one 
collective response to each part of Erskine’s case study.  
 
Richard Erskine was then asked to write a response to each of the 
psychotherapist who commented on his case study. His responses are joined 
into the article titled Treatment Planning, Pacing, and Countertransference: 
Perspectives on the Psychotherapy of Early Affect-Confusion.  
 
Finally we publish a post-script written by Marye O’Reilly-Knapp, co-editor of the 
International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy. She comments on all the 
discussion so far and makes conclusion to the first part of Erskine’s case study. 
 
In the next issues of the International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy the 
discussion will continue and next two parts of the case study and their comments 
will be published.  
 
I hope that you will be as excited as I was when I was reading the case study and 
comments. I learned a lot from each of the authors and they challenged my 
 
International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2012 

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International Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2012 

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theoretical thinking and practice. From discussions I learned that many diverse 
paths can be effective to understanding the treatment of clients and that none 
should be declared as ultimate ‘truth’. I think that the detailed case study 
approach and collegial discussion give us opportunity for challenge and growth 
as practitioners and also provide opportunity for development of the field of 
integrative psychotherapy as a whole.   
 
 
Author: 
 
Assist. Prof. Gregor Žvelc, PhD is clinical psychologist and doctor of psychology. 
He is International Integrative Psychotherapy Trainer & Supervisor (IIPA). Gregor 
is director of the Institute for Integrative Psychotherapy and Counseling in 
Ljubljana, where he has a private practice and leads trainings in Integrative 
Psychotherapy and Transactional Analysis. He is co-editor of International 
Journal of Integrative Psychotherapy. He can be reached at Institute IPSA, 
Stegne 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. E-mail: gregor.zvelc@guest.arnes.si 
Homepage: www.institut-ipsa.si 
 
 
        
 
       Date of publication: 25.12.2012