Psychotherapy is more than science or: From science to art

Abstract

Summary: In Germany psychotherapy training has been handed over to scientists and the practical training neglected. This leads to the question to what extent and in what magnitude psychotherapy is a science? Starting with a discussion of psychology as a science, its undesirable development and stagnation then becomes a question of whether psychotherapy is a science that would be accepted by scientists. Practicing psychotherapists counter this and say that it is an art, which is founded on science however, it is more than this. They deduce that this art cannot be taught by scientists. However, there is also no unanimity amongst scientists. The one group conduct research under experimental laboratory conditions , whereas the others see these findings as invalid for the real world outside the laboratory. Finally the question is pursued where and how the art of psychotherapy can be learnt.