Assimilation of problematic experiences by clients in psychotherapy.

Presents an integrative model for a central aspect of change in psychotherapy. According to the assimilation model, clients in successful psychotherapy follow a regular sequence in processing their problematic experiences as these are assimilated into schemata developed in the therapeutic interaction. The model's principal concepts include schema, problematic experience, and assimilation and accommodation. Stages of assimilation are discussed, and case illustrations of a 37-yr-old man and a 37-yr-old woman illustrate this process. Advantages of the assimilation model for research, for clinicians, and for the therapeutic relationship are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)