Innovative moments and change in client-centered therapy

Abstract

Previous studies have used the Innovative Moments Coding System (IMCS) to describe the process of change in Narrative Therapy (NT) and in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). This study aims to extend this research program to a sample of Client-Centered Therapy (CCT). The IMCS was applied to six cases of CCT for depression to track the Innovative Moments (IMs) which are exceptions to the problematic self-narrative in therapeutic conversation. Results suggest that IMCS can be applied to CCT, allowing the tracking of IMs' emergence. The analysis based on a generalized linear model revealed that the overall amount of IMs is significantly associated with symptom improvement, which is congruent with former studies done with the IMCS.

Humanistic psychotherapy research 1990–2015: From methodological innovation to evidence-supported treatment outcomes and beyond

“…Finally, a recent series of intensive case studies (Angus & Hardtke, 2007;Angus & Kagan, 2013;Cunha et al, 2012;Gonçalves et al, 2012;Mendes et al, 2010Mendes et al, , 2011 have drawn on the York I Depression study transcript data-set (Angus, 2012) to examine emotion-focused and client-centered humanistic therapy sessions from a narrativeinformed perspective on therapy change processes (Angus & McLeod, 2004). Findings from these studies have highlighted the importance of protest moments (such as challenging the voice of selfcriticism), reclamation of own needs (for instance, by setting a boundary in an abusive relationship), working with client ambivalence and self-narrative reconstruction in good outcome therapy sessions.…”

Autobiographical memory and mentalizing impairment in personality disorders and schizophrenia: clinical and research implications

“…There is reason to believe that narrative enrichment (Gonçalves et al, 2012) and promoting mentalization (Bateman and Fonagy, 2009) are features of successful therapies; research addressing their interplay may guide the development of these interventions.…”

Procesos Narrativos en Psicoterapia: diferencias entre clientes con buen y mal resultado

“…Again, as discussed by Angus (2012) our data demonstrates that changes in the narrative process are the key to clients change. Also coherently with the work of M. Gonçalves et al, 2011Gonçalves et al, , 2012Matos et al, 2009;Mendes et al, 2010Mendes et al, , 2011; therapeutic change is correlated with changes not only in narrative process but also in its content.…”

“…Research by the group led by Miguel Gonçalves and Inês Mendes (see Gonçalves et al, 2011Gonçalves et al, , 2012Mendes et al, 2010Mendes et al, , 2011Matos et al, 2009) on new emerging therapeutic meanings that they refer to as Innovative Moments (IMs) demonstrate that IMs are transtheoretical since all therapies aim to create alternative meanings in clients' self-narratives. Again, therapeutic change is correlated with changes in narrative process and content.…”