SCOTT D Miller - For the latest and greatest information on Feedback Informed Treatment

  • About
    • About Scott
    • Publications
  • Training and Consultation
  • Workshop Calendar
  • FIT Measures Licensing
  • FIT Software Tools
  • Online Store
  • Top Performance Blog
  • Contact Scott
scottdmiller@ talkingcure.com +1.773.454.8511

The Impact of Mentors

July 20, 2010 By scottdm Leave a Comment

Brendan Madden   Scott D. Miller   Jeffrey K. Zeig

A little over month ago, I blogged about how the outcome and session rating scales were originally conceived of and developed.  A few days prior to that, I wrote about where the whole idea of using measures to solicit feedback had started.  In both instances, my teachers and supervisors played a significant role. Immediately following a two day workshop I’d given in Israel, psychologist Haim Omer suggested developing a visual analog scale that could be used in lieu of the longer Outcome Questionnaire 45.2–an idea that literally changed the entire arc of my professional career.  Drs. Lynn Johnson and Michael Lambert–a supervisor and professor I met and worked with as a graduate student–were the first to pioneer feedback-informed treatment (FIT).  Some twenty plus years into my career, I remain in contact with both, calling, seeking input, discussing ideas, and soliciting feedback.

“Professional coaches,” says the noted “expert on experts” K. Anders Erickson, “…play an essential role in guiding…future experts in a safe and effective manner” (p. 698).   Needless to say, I’ve been very fortunate to have such visionary mentors.  One more story.

In 1984, I wrote a letter to Dr. Jeffrey K. Zeig, the director of the Milton H. Erickson Institute.  I was in my second year of a Ph.D. program in psychology and, like many graduate students, dead broke.  While taking a course on hypnosis as part of my studies, I’d become interested in the work of Milton Erickson.

“I’d like to learn more,” I wrote at the time, “Would it be possible for me to visit the Institute, watch some videos and have a chance to talk with you?”  I wasn’t too far away.  I could drive to Phoenix where the Institute was located.  I could even arrange to stay with friends to save money.  “Dr. Zeig,” I continued, “I’m a graduate student and don’t have much money, but I’d be willing to do some work in kind.”  I’d pasted mailing labels on thousands of brochures for the local hypnosis and therapy organizations, for example, in exchange for being able to attend professional continuing education events.  “I’ll vacuum and clean the office, wash vehicles, do filing.  Whatever might be helpful to you or the Institute.”

Within a couple of weeks, an envelop from the Milton H. Erickson Institute arrived.  In it was a letter that was brief and to the point.  “Please call me,” it said, and was signed Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D.  Needless to say, I called straight away.  We chatted for a few minutes.  He told me that I was welcome to visit the Institute, watch videos, talk with some of the staff and even spend some time with him.  And then he asked, “Do you think you could afford five dollars?”  I was floored.

Ever since meeting him on that hot summer day in Phoenix, he’s been an important teacher and mentor.  It’s particularly noteworthy that whenever we talk–by phone, email, or in chance meetings on airplanes while criss-crossing the globe–he invariably asks, “What are you learning?”  And then he listens, intently.

Last week, we were catching up on the phone and Jeff told me that his long-held desire to open an international psychotherapy training and research facility had finally been fulfilled.  Briefly, The Institute for Applied Therapeutic Change is a real clinic where professionals and students can learn the latest in behavioral healthcare from leading experts in the field and while working with real clients (click on the text above for the complete press release).

“I can hardly wait to attend some of the events,” I said.  “And when are you available to teach?” he responded.   Stunned again.  I’m so fortunate and can hardly wait to participate in the Institute activities as both a presenter and student.  Stay tuned to the Foundation website for more details!

Filed Under: excellence, Feedback, Feedback Informed Treatment - FIT Tagged With: Carl Rogers, cdoi, Erickson Institute, Jeff Zeig, K. Anders Erickson, Lynn Johnson, Michael Lambert, psychology, psychometrics, The Institute for Applied Therapeutic Change

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

SEARCH

Subscribe for updates from my blog.

loader

Email Address*

Name

Upcoming Training

Oct
01

Training of Trainers 2025


Nov
20

FIT Implementation Intensive 2025

FIT Software tools

FIT Software tools

LinkedIn

Topics of Interest:

  • behavioral health (5)
  • Behavioral Health (112)
  • Brain-based Research (2)
  • CDOI (14)
  • Conferences and Training (67)
  • deliberate practice (31)
  • Dodo Verdict (9)
  • Drug and Alcohol (3)
  • evidence-based practice (67)
  • excellence (63)
  • Feedback (40)
  • Feedback Informed Treatment – FIT (246)
  • FIT (29)
  • FIT Software Tools (12)
  • ICCE (26)
  • Implementation (7)
  • medication adherence (3)
  • obesity (1)
  • PCOMS (11)
  • Practice Based Evidence (39)
  • PTSD (4)
  • Suicide (1)
  • supervision (1)
  • Termination (1)
  • Therapeutic Relationship (9)
  • Top Performance (40)

Recent Posts

  • Agape
  • Snippets
  • Results from the first bona fide study of deliberate practice
  • Fasten your seatbelt
  • A not so helpful, helping hand

Recent Comments

  • Dr Martin Russell on Agape
  • hima on Simple, not Easy: Using the ORS and SRS Effectively
  • hima on The Cryptonite of Behavioral Health: Making Mistakes
  • himalaya on Alas, it seems everyone comes from Lake Wobegon
  • himalayan on Do certain people respond better to specific forms of psychotherapy?

Tags

addiction Alliance behavioral health brief therapy Carl Rogers CBT cdoi common factors conferences continuing education denmark evidence based medicine evidence based practice Evolution of Psychotherapy excellence feedback feedback informed treatment healthcare holland icce international center for cliniclal excellence medicine mental health meta-analysis Norway NREPP ors outcome measurement outcome rating scale post traumatic stress practice-based evidence psychology psychometrics psychotherapy psychotherapy networker public behavioral health randomized clinical trial SAMHSA session rating scale srs supershrinks sweden Therapist Effects therapy Training