This group of articles discusses various aspects of Gestalt Therapy including its major contributions, role in psychotherapy, and contributions of Gestalt psychology in general. There is some discussion of the philosophical background of Gestalt therapy along with Gestalt theory of emotion. A case study and an annotated bibliography are included…

Article discusses concept of healthy personality and aspects of the self-actualizing person. Self-actualization theory appears to have advantages for counseling and psychotherapy. (Author/EK)

This article presents an examination of several personality theories, questioning their relevance and appropriateness for women and also the counseling methods and approaches based upon these theories. (JC)

At several points in the history of their field, counseling psychologists have emphasized that fostering human strengths is part of their mission. Vocational psychology is an area of counseling psychology that has focused consistently on human strengths. In keeping with the Major Contribution's theme, this article examines the following: (a)…

This article focuses on growth-promoting aspects in the environment, and the authors propose a strength-based, dynamic model of person-environment interaction. The authors begin by briefly discussing the typical recognition of contextual variables in models that rely on the concept of person-environment fit. This is followed by a review of recent…

This paper delineates similarities and differences between RET and views espoused by other authors beginning with stoic philosophers. (Author)

Personality theories and scientific data on women frequently contribute negatively to the psychotherapy of female clients. This paper examines some of the background factors which have shaped our information about women, and then reviews some contemporaneous approaches to the therapy of women. (Author)

One of the original authors of the feminist identity model reflects on the 16 subsequent years of work in the field as described in this major contribution. The original model is clarified and measurement issues are examined, particularly in relation to the Synthesis and Active Commitment subscales. The author also evaluates existing research and…

This major article points out that many problems with which counselors deal arise from unfortunate learning conditions and should not be conceptualized as illness. It suggests that counselors focus upon the client's sense of competence and upon his individual interests. (EK)

This paper describes the evolution of the helper therapy principle into a popular idea in community psychology and argues for the increased use of helping by the client as a therapeutic tool. Further, the paper attempts to explain the helper therapy principle by use of current psychological theory and research. (Author)

The model of feminist identity development proposed by Downing and Roush in 1985 is revisited as a potentially useful framework in counseling psychology theory, research, and practice. An examination of the historical context from which the model arose illustrates how it advanced theory in the psychology of women. A critical review of the extant…

A review of the three articles on feminist identity development in this issue indicates that (a) the Feminist Identity Development Scale (FIDS) and the Feminist Identity Composite (FIC) perform similarly and acceptably in psychometric analyses, (b) no research has properly tested whether there are true stages of feminist identity development, and…

Gender theories provide a critical framework for considerations of heterosexual identity. Patriarchal power rests on the social meanings given to biological sex differences and to their reproduction as societal discourses regarding what it means to be a woman or a man. This is a crucial point and one that we believe is not fully recognized in the…