Most clinicians agree, the therapeutic relationship is an important ingredient in effective psychotherapy. However, ask them the last time they: (1) read a study on the subject; (2) attended a postgraduate training specifically aimed at improving their skills in this area; or simply to (3) identify and define the factors ...
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What works in the treatment of people with eating disorders?  Search around a bit on the internet, or consult official treatment guidelines, and you'll find cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) listed as the "best-supported" or "preferred" psychological approaches for bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating. Such recommendations strongly imply ...
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"Exposure!" a choir of professional voices sings, "its the only proven way." "No, no," others insist, "You can tap yourself to emotional freedom." "Poppycock!" another group jumps in, "Horizontal saccadic eye movements are the ticket!" "Beware the dominant discourse," a few, particularly literate warn, "focusing on what was done to the ...
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The use of routine outcome monitoring (ROM) is on the rise.  In the United States and abroad, regulatory bodies are actually mandating the gathering of outcome data as the new "standard of care." As agencies rush to implement--often at great cost in terms of time and money--the question remains: just ...
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The graphic above is a small sample of the many posts I encountered on social media last week.  Obviously, science has a great deal of currency in public discourse. Now, look at the bottom row.  On the far left, we are told that drinking wine will help you live a longer life.  ...
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Take a good look at the picture below.   Do you recognize this person? Let me give you a hint.  In 1974, he published the first empirical study documenting one of psychotherapy's most closely held secrets: some therapists are more effective than others. It's true.  You know it.  I know it.  Everyone ...
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Does the name Barry Marshall ring a bell? Probably not if you are a mental health professional. For decades, the Australian physician was persona non grata in the field of medicine -- or perhaps stated more accurately, persona sciocca, a fool. Beginning in the early 1980's, Marshall, together with colleague Robin Warren, ...
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So, you're out for a walk.  It's a beautiful day but you're caught up in your thoughts, feeling a bit discouraged and concerned. For whatever reason, some of the people you are working with aren't improving.  You're no novice clinician.  You know impasses are a common feature of therapeutic work.  ...
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Which of the following are bad for health and longevity? A. Smoking; B. Consuming too much alcohol; C. Being overweight; D. Not flossing regularly. If you answered "yes" to any or all of the items, you are WRONG--that is, at least, if you are determined to rely on evidence ...
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I don't know if you feel the same way I do.  Looking back, I'm pretty sure its been going on for a while, but somehow I didn't notice. Professional books and journals fill my bookshelves and are stacked around my desk.  I am, and always have been, a voracious--even compulsive--reader.  In the last ...
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So, what contributes to a living a long, healthy life? Clean Air?  Being lean versus overweight?  The absence of depression or anxiety?  Exercising regularly?  Getting a flu vaccine?  Abstaining from smoking?  Minimizing alcohol intake?   Personal sense of meaning?  Close interpersonal relationships?  Social integration? OK, I'll come clean: all contribute--but not equally.  Far from it.  Some are more important ...
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While you were celebrating the Holidays--shopping and spending time with family--government officials were busy at work.  On December 28th, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) sent a formal termination notice to the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). Ho, ho, oh no...! Briefly, NREPP is "an evidence-based repository and review system ...
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The Joint Commission has recently revised their standards of care.  To maintain accreditation, organizations are now required to assess outcomes with a standardized measurement tool.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is moving in the same direction. Two scales I developed met the new standard.  Both are ...
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The legendary cellist Pablo Casals was once interviewed by comedian George Carlin.  When asked why, at age 93, he continued to practice three hours a day, Casals replied, "I'm beginning to show some improvement!" Hard not to feel inspired and humbled by such dedication, eh?  And while humorous, Casals was ...
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Being human means being conscious.  Being conscious means knowing, "reality bites." Little wonder evidence shows people have sought to alter their consciousness since the Stone Age.  Whether its music, dance, the ingestion of psychoactive plants, or the modern pharmaceuticals, humans evince a strong desire to move beyond their present reality--to ...
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