Psychotherapy: The humanistic (and effective) treatment.

Abstract

Although it is well established that psychotherapy is remarkably effective, the change process in psychotherapy is not well understood. Psychotherapy is compared with medicine and cultural healing practices to argue that critical aspects of psychotherapy involve human processes that are used in religious, spiritual, and cultural healing practices. A model of psychotherapy is presented that stipulates various aspects that involve uniquely human characteristics. Central to this model is patient acquisition of an adaptive explanation of his or her difficulties. Finally, the research evidence for this model is presented.

Recovery From Depressive Symptoms Over the Course of Physical Therapy: A Prospective Cohort Study of Individuals With Work-Related Orthopaedic Injuries and Symptoms of Depression

“…30,41 In certain cases, these nonspecific effects have been shown to explain more variance in patients' response to treatment than the type of intervention administered. 41,63,64 Together, these findings suggest that, even when physical therapists have not received specialized training in psychological interventions, nonspecific aspects of their therapeutic approach and the use of interventions that include physical activity may contribute to the effect of their treatments on patients' symptoms of depression.…”

Psychotherapy Outcome Research: Issues and Questions

“…This literature is too large to be reviewed in this article however, contrary to statements that idiographic approaches to psychotherapy are "ineffective" and "unscientific," psychotherapy effectiveness research indicates the opposite (Clarkin, Levy, Lenzenweger, & Kernberg, 2007;Leichsenring & Leibing, 2003;Leichsenring & Rabung, 2008;Leichsenring et al, 2004;Levy & Ablon, 2008;Lewis, Dennerstein, & Gibbs, 2008;Seligman, 1996;Shedler, 2010;Wampold, 2007).…”

“…Contrary to the assertions of many EBT advocates, there exists a substantial literature that demonstrates the effectiveness of idiographic psychotherapies (Driessen et al, 2015, Leichsenring, 2005Leichsenring & Leibing, 2003;Leichsenring & Rabung, 2008;Leichsenring, Rabungm, & Leibing, 2004;Leichsenring & Scheauenburg, 2014;Leichsenring, Leweke, Klein, & Steinaart, 2015;Shedler, 2010;Wampold, 2007;Westen & Harnden-Fischer, 2001). This literature is too large to be reviewed in this article however, contrary to statements that idiographic approaches to psychotherapy are "ineffective" and "unscientific," psychotherapy effectiveness research indicates the opposite (Clarkin, Levy, Lenzenweger, & Kernberg, 2007;Leichsenring & Leibing, 2003;Leichsenring & Rabung, 2008;Leichsenring et al, 2004;Levy & Ablon, 2008;Lewis, Dennerstein, & Gibbs, 2008;Seligman, 1996;Shedler, 2010;Wampold, 2007).…”

“…Psychotherapy research should inform practice when applicable but it is also important to acknowledge that not all individuals seeking psychotherapy services do so because of specific DSM symptoms. Evidence indicates the importance of life history, dispositional variables, and contextual factors in bringing about lasting change, variables that are ignored in most EBT studies (Doesschate, Bockting, Koeter, Schene et al, 2010;Hafner, 1984;Keltner, 1987;Ottenbacher & Ottenbacher, 1981;Shea, Elkin, Imber, Sotsky, Watkins, et al, 1992;Wachtel, 2010;Wampold, 2005Wampold, , 2007Westen & Morrison, 2001;Westen, Novotny, & Thompson-Brenner, 2004). …”

Letter to the Editor: An agenda for the next decade of psychotherapy research and practice

“…Counselling psychology has long suggested this is the case, proposing mechanisms such as the quality of the therapeutic relationship (Rogers, 1957), whilst others have focused on the process of engaging in psychotherapy (Wampold, 2007), or the cognitive changes associated with all therapeutic change (Higginson et al in press). Lynch, et al's (2010) study suggests that future research would be better advised to focus on empirically establishing the mechanisms by which all therapies work.…”