Psychotherapist expertise proves an urgent topic for practice and training, but insufficient rese... more Psychotherapist expertise proves an urgent topic for practice and training, but insufficient research and conflicting definitions confound efforts to enhance expertise. In an ambitious article, Hill, Spiegel, Hoffman, Kivlighan, and Gelso offer a clear definition of expertise and propose broad indicators. In this reaction, we (a) laud the prominent psychologists for undertaking the Herculean task, (b) highlight points of convergence on relationships and responsiveness between their conclusions and those of others and ourselves, (c) take some collegial exceptions to their proposals and advance alternatives, and (d) underscore the probability that expertise resides far more in the person of the therapist than in specific methods. In particular, distinguishing expertise from experience, and separating expertise about psychotherapy from expertise demonstrated in session, will help to operationalize and cultivate it. The title of this commentary-"Our Best Selves"-embodies the conviction that developing the person of the therapist will most likely actualize expertise.
Three studies were conducted to determine a consensual list of psychology's g... more Three studies were conducted to determine a consensual list of psychology's great books. In the first study, 39 colleges described the composition of their undergraduate Great Books (GBs) curricula. Fifty-six percent of the 39 colleges assigned some psychology-related materials, but these materials accounted for only 4% of all readings. In the second study, 186 psychologists nominated 463 books as psychology's GBs. In the third study, 83 APA division presidents and 117 Division Two fellows rated the books and authors most frequently nominated in the second study in terms of those that undergraduate psychology majors should read. Books achieving the highest ratings were James's Principles of Psychology, Hall and Lindzey's Theories of Personality, Skinner's Beyond Freedom and Dignity, Darwin's On the Origin of Species, and Boring's History of Experimental Psychology. Top rated authors were Skinner, Freud, James, Piaget, Rogers, Darwin, Bandura, G. Allport, and Erikson.
Eclecticism in psychotherapy refers to the technical, relatively atheoretical combination of clin... more Eclecticism in psychotherapy refers to the technical, relatively atheoretical combination of clinical methods. As exemplified by the work of Lazarus (1967; 1989a) and Beutler (1983; 1986) among others, eclecticism is empirical in pragmatically selecting extant procedures on the basis of their demonstrated efficacy, not their theoretical heritage. By contrast, integration denotes the conceptual synthesis of diverse theoretical systems. Integration, as manifested in the work of Wachtel (1977; 1984), Prochaska & DiClemente (1982; 1984) and others, is more theoretical than empirical in developing various superordinate or metatheoretical models of psychotherapy. The consensual distinction between technical eclecticism and theoretical integration has been firmly established in the minds and practices of members of the NIMH Workshop on Research in Psychotherapy Integration (Wolfe & Goldfried, 1988), editorial reviewers for the Journal oflntegrative and Eclectic Psychotherapy (JIEP; Norcross & Napolitano, 1986), and most importantly, self-designated eclectic and integrative psychologists (Norcross & Prochaska, 1988). Unfortunately, in a recent article appearing in this Journal, Patterson (1989) failed to recognize this critical distinction. As a consequence, he misrepresented eclecticism and misunderstood integration, leading to unwarranted conclusions and excessive pessimism about the prospects of both technical eclecticism and theoretical integration. To begin with, there are numerous paths toward the synthesis of psychotherapeutic theories, techniques, and formats (Mahrer, 1989). Technical eclecticism and theoretical integration are the two The author gratefully acknowledges the comments and contributions of Arnold A. Lazams and Paul L. Wachtel in preparing this commentary.
... research, rather than the typical theoretical basis.(2) We adopt an integrative or transtheor... more ... research, rather than the typical theoretical basis.(2) We adopt an integrative or transtheoretical ... be sure, the emergent defi-nition of empathy begins to approach our notion ... Clinical experience and controlled research convincingly demonstrate the error of applying universal or ...
Evidence-based practices in mental health: Debate and dialogue on the fundamental questions.
Abstract 1. In the first position paper of this chapter, Dianne L. Chambless and Paul Crits-Chris... more Abstract 1. In the first position paper of this chapter, Dianne L. Chambless and Paul Crits-Christoph argue that, consistent with the thrust of the evidence-based medicine approach (Sackett, Richardson, Rosenberg, & Haynes, 1997), the examination of the empirical basis ...
Psychotherapist expertise proves an urgent topic for practice and training, but insufficient rese... more Psychotherapist expertise proves an urgent topic for practice and training, but insufficient research and conflicting definitions confound efforts to enhance expertise. In an ambitious article, Hill, Spiegel, Hoffman, Kivlighan, and Gelso offer a clear definition of expertise and propose broad indicators. In this reaction, we (a) laud the prominent psychologists for undertaking the Herculean task, (b) highlight points of convergence on relationships and responsiveness between their conclusions and those of others and ourselves, (c) take some collegial exceptions to their proposals and advance alternatives, and (d) underscore the probability that expertise resides far more in the person of the therapist than in specific methods. In particular, distinguishing expertise from experience, and separating expertise about psychotherapy from expertise demonstrated in session, will help to operationalize and cultivate it. The title of this commentary-"Our Best Selves"-embodies the conviction that developing the person of the therapist will most likely actualize expertise.
Three studies were conducted to determine a consensual list of psychology's g... more Three studies were conducted to determine a consensual list of psychology's great books. In the first study, 39 colleges described the composition of their undergraduate Great Books (GBs) curricula. Fifty-six percent of the 39 colleges assigned some psychology-related materials, but these materials accounted for only 4% of all readings. In the second study, 186 psychologists nominated 463 books as psychology's GBs. In the third study, 83 APA division presidents and 117 Division Two fellows rated the books and authors most frequently nominated in the second study in terms of those that undergraduate psychology majors should read. Books achieving the highest ratings were James's Principles of Psychology, Hall and Lindzey's Theories of Personality, Skinner's Beyond Freedom and Dignity, Darwin's On the Origin of Species, and Boring's History of Experimental Psychology. Top rated authors were Skinner, Freud, James, Piaget, Rogers, Darwin, Bandura, G. Allport, and Erikson.
Eclecticism in psychotherapy refers to the technical, relatively atheoretical combination of clin... more Eclecticism in psychotherapy refers to the technical, relatively atheoretical combination of clinical methods. As exemplified by the work of Lazarus (1967; 1989a) and Beutler (1983; 1986) among others, eclecticism is empirical in pragmatically selecting extant procedures on the basis of their demonstrated efficacy, not their theoretical heritage. By contrast, integration denotes the conceptual synthesis of diverse theoretical systems. Integration, as manifested in the work of Wachtel (1977; 1984), Prochaska & DiClemente (1982; 1984) and others, is more theoretical than empirical in developing various superordinate or metatheoretical models of psychotherapy. The consensual distinction between technical eclecticism and theoretical integration has been firmly established in the minds and practices of members of the NIMH Workshop on Research in Psychotherapy Integration (Wolfe & Goldfried, 1988), editorial reviewers for the Journal oflntegrative and Eclectic Psychotherapy (JIEP; Norcross & Napolitano, 1986), and most importantly, self-designated eclectic and integrative psychologists (Norcross & Prochaska, 1988). Unfortunately, in a recent article appearing in this Journal, Patterson (1989) failed to recognize this critical distinction. As a consequence, he misrepresented eclecticism and misunderstood integration, leading to unwarranted conclusions and excessive pessimism about the prospects of both technical eclecticism and theoretical integration. To begin with, there are numerous paths toward the synthesis of psychotherapeutic theories, techniques, and formats (Mahrer, 1989). Technical eclecticism and theoretical integration are the two The author gratefully acknowledges the comments and contributions of Arnold A. Lazams and Paul L. Wachtel in preparing this commentary.
... research, rather than the typical theoretical basis.(2) We adopt an integrative or transtheor... more ... research, rather than the typical theoretical basis.(2) We adopt an integrative or transtheoretical ... be sure, the emergent defi-nition of empathy begins to approach our notion ... Clinical experience and controlled research convincingly demonstrate the error of applying universal or ...
Evidence-based practices in mental health: Debate and dialogue on the fundamental questions.
Abstract 1. In the first position paper of this chapter, Dianne L. Chambless and Paul Crits-Chris... more Abstract 1. In the first position paper of this chapter, Dianne L. Chambless and Paul Crits-Christoph argue that, consistent with the thrust of the evidence-based medicine approach (Sackett, Richardson, Rosenberg, & Haynes, 1997), the examination of the empirical basis ...
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