Different levels of psychotherapeutic competence

In this article, The author argues for a both – and position in regard to manuals in the Practice and Research of Family Therapy. She suggests that manuals are appropriate when describing therapeutic strategizing and technical competence. However, she also argues that they are an inappropriate tool for understanding the contribution of the client’s family in family therapy. This argument fuels a further view that manuals cannot capture the dance that occurs between therapist and family. For this type of knowledge, a relational type of competence needs to be developed