The essence of contextual therapy, its place in the field of family therapy, and its role in the future

Abstract

This article aims to present the basic tenets of contextual therapy and its treatment goals, methodology, and theory of change. It provides an orientation for readers who are new to the approach and should serve as an updated frame of reference for readers already familiar with it. An important contribution of this article is that it clarifies the place of contextual therapy in the vast field of family therapy and dispels some common misunderstandings about the path of its founder, Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy (1920–2007). Additionally, it demonstrates why contextual therapy should be counted among the postmodern, collaborative approaches to family therapy, which contradicts the usual view that it belongs to the earlier modern models of family therapy. Furthermore, it shows that contextual therapy is well-equipped to incorporate the current and future contributions of human sciences and offers unique therapeutic resources to address the individual and relational consequences of injustices that should remain relevant for the foreseeable future.