The advantage of using the integrative counselling approach is the emphasis on therapeutic actions that have been demonstrated to be effective. When I meet clients I always look to select the best treatment for them and their problem. My choices are based on published data on effective methods, and on my experience of what has worked best for other clients in the past. Another advantage of this approach is that it encourages the use of diverse strategies without being hindered by theoretical differences.

In my counselling practice I use Cognitive Behavioural, Person-centred Therapy, Gestalt and Psychodynamic approaches. Many counsellors prefer the security of one foundational theory as they begin the process of integrative exploration. There is nothing wrong with this but I will prefer to use well-established approaches that fit into one of four routes, there are newer models that combine aspects of the traditional routes. For example, the psychologist Clara E. Hill, PhD (2004) three-stage model of helping skills encourages counsellors to emphasise skills from different theories during different stages of helping. Hill's model is called the Three Stage Model. The first stage is the Exploration stage. This is based on person-centred therapy. The second stage is entitled Insight. Interventions used in this stage are based on psychoanalytic therapy. The last stage, the Action stage, is based on behavioural therapy. This counselling strategy is well known as an integrative approach. An integrative approach highlighting both core components of effective therapy and specific techniques designed to target clients’ particular areas of concern, where counsellors are encouraged to make intentional choices about combining theories and intervention strategies.

As John McLeod said in his interview (March, 2013) for “The Therapy Today”: "Therapists who focus only on a limited set of change processes will find that what they are offering is ideal for some clients and almost completely irrelevant and unhelpful for others. Good therapists are willing to adapt their skills and knowledge to what works for each individual client".