| There is a common fallacy in mental health | | | | with their clients. The medical equal is having a good |
| professions that it is the specific treatment that | | | | "bedside manner". A first-rate therapeutic relationship |
| provides the cure. The training received by mental | | | | has the following characteristics: |
| health professionals, including psychologists, | | | | => The aptitude of the therapist for empathy, |
| emphasizes on the use of exact, empirically validated | | | | compassion and caring |
| therapies. However it just isn't possible to receive | | | | => To what degree a therapist can like or love the |
| education in all the thousands of excellent treatment | | | | client |
| modalities available, especially when exciting new ones | | | | => Mutual positive regard between therapist and client |
| regularly come out. Some approaches have been | | | | => How much the therapist can support the client to |
| favoured due to the sheer quantity of data supporting | | | | take risks and develop mastery |
| their validity; in particular Cognitive Behaviour Therapy | | | | => Inviting the client to take on more self-responsibility |
| (CBT) and Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT) are | | | | => A focus on partnership as opposed to giving |
| prime examples. | | | | advice. |
| The decades' of therapy outcome research concludes | | | | Placebo or Expectancy (15%) |
| that all therapy does actually work, but the evidence of | | | | A minimum of 15% of the change observed occurs |
| one modality's dominance over another is equivocal. In | | | | because a client waits for the change to occur; this is |
| fact the famous "dodo-bird outcome" whereby | | | | known as the placebo effect. Clients change for the |
| "Everyone has won and all must have prizes" after | | | | better when they know their proficient as a |
| Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" was announced | | | | competent, trustworthy and experienced professional. |
| in a extensive review of psychotherapy outcome | | | | Model or Technique (15%) |
| studies (Luborsky et al., 1985). If all psychotherapies are | | | | Even though the particular type of treatment modality |
| equivalent, a more plausible alternative was necessary | | | | only depicts 15% of observed change, university |
| to explain how successful change comes about and a | | | | training focuses on modality-specific education. As a |
| review of all the research conducted since 1970 | | | | result, there are many professionals who become |
| determined the existence of four common change | | | | technicians, using manuals to treat clients-by-numbers |
| factors (Hubble et al.,1999). These common factors | | | | rather than engage with the complex and unique |
| are: | | | | whole person. Therapists who are unable to tap into |
| Client Factors (40%) | | | | the four common factors are likely to be ineffective |
| By far the most important causes of change are client | | | | agents of change, even if they are highly proficient in |
| factors and these make up 40% of the variance | | | | using specific intervention modalities. |
| observed in successful therapeutic effects. Client | | | | Therefore therapy will succeed if the four common |
| factors refer to the strengths and resources that all | | | | factors can be exploited to their total potential. There |
| clients inherently possess. These resources can be | | | | are a number of important characteristics to look for in |
| visceral, spiritual, instrumental, social or psychological, | | | | a therapist, including the ability to sensitively be in sync |
| such as good health, friends and a sense of humour. | | | | with you and speak the truth, patience, compassion, |
| Successful outcomes in therapy are guaranteed when | | | | intelligence and experience. Of utmost importance is |
| a therapist is able to engage, develop and extend their | | | | that you like each other and get on well! |
| clients' copious positive features. Therapists succeed | | | | References |
| when they are able to redirect their clients' attention | | | | Hubble, M. A., Duncan, B. L., & Miller, S. D. (1999). The |
| towards their abilities rather than their setbacks and | | | | Heart And Soul Of Change: What Works In Therapy. |
| surprise them with reminders of how resourced they | | | | Washington, DC: APA |
| actually are. | | | | Luborsky, Singer & Luborsky. (1985). Therapist success |
| Therapeutic Relationship (30%) | | | | and its determinants. Archives of General Psychiatry, |
| At least 30% of all change is accounted for by | | | | 42, 602 - 611. |
| therapists' capability to develop a strong, positive bond | | | | |