Practical ways of undertaking research into psychotherapy are explored in this unique volume, which surveys the latest developments in psychotherapy process research and examines their implications for clinical practice. Giving equal weight to both paradigmatic and narrative approaches to explanation of the therapeutic process, contributions exemplify both relatively `pure' uses of either approach and their joint application. Each mode is seen to be especially suited to explaining a particular aspect of the overall therapeutic process and the question arises of whether or not the two approaches can be integrated. This question is addressed in terms of the implicit assumptions supporting each approach.