This paper comments on the article "Psychology and Phenomenology: A Clarification" by H. H. Kendler. In this article, Kendler sought to resolve the methodological issue that divides much of contemporary psychology--namely, the difference between natural science and human science in their respective views of psychological life. Whereas Kendler…

An essential element in successful psychotherapy involves helping clients become more creative in their approach to their problems. While Otto Rank, one of the pioneers of psychoanalysis, loosely alluded to this as a fitting goal, it was the inventor of psychodrama, Jacob L. Moreno, MD (1889-1974), who made this an explicit objective of the…

The dodo-bird verdict has haunted the literature on psychotherapy outcome since its early beginnings. It is based on the counter-intuitive finding that often highly diverging treatments do not differ much in effectiveness. There is evidence that much of the common effect of different treatments can be related to unspecific factors as opposed to…

While counterintuitive, there is evidence that some nightmares may serve a beneficial function. The theory behind this idea is presented within the context of a continuity hypothesis of dreaming where the negative emotions presented in a nightmare can lead to psychosocial development, just as some negative experiences do so during wake. The…

Steve de Shazer who, along with Insoo Kim Berg, co-founded the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) approach, recently passed away. In this article we will offer a brief biographical sketch and then discuss the current state of the art of SFBT as it applies to practice, training, and research. Future directions for SFBT, such as the emergence of…

Receptiveness toward evidence-based practice such as proposed by Chwalisz (2003) (this issue) is a function of how one defines the discipline and how one views counseling and psychotherapy. By acknowledging the dual nature of therapeutic psychology as a science-based cultural enterprise, one may be able to overcome schisms in the field and related…

This is a discussion with Judith Warren regarding her painting on the cover of the present issue of American Psychologist. To Warren, the painting on the cover of this issue, Pentimento, speaks to the interplay of spontaneity and intentionality in psychotherapy.

Amongst adults, low emotion identification skill (EIS) relates to poor emotion regulation strategies, higher rates of anxiety and depression, and higher rates of somatic illness and disease [Taylor, G. J., & Bagby, R. M. (2004). New trends in alexithymia research. "Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics", 73, 68-77]. Little research has examined EIS in…

People with a learning disability, the experts of their own experience are increasingly involved in research. We will be discussing in this paper their centrality in the development of a psychological therapy outcome measure for people with learning disabilities. Their involvement needs to go beyond giving their views to being included in the…

This study estimates pretreatment-posttreatment effect size benchmarks for the treatment of major depression in adults that may be useful in evaluating psychotherapy effectiveness in clinical practice. Treatment efficacy benchmarks for major depression were derived for 3 different types of outcome measures: the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression…

Objective: To examine the potential benefits of adding a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, sertraline, versus placebo, to trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) for improving posttraumatic stress disorder and related psychological symptoms in children who have experienced sexual abuse. Method: Twenty-four 10- to 17-year-old…

This column describes how a university clinic (henceforth "the Clinic") specializing in treating children with anxiety disorders managed over time to integrate empirically supported treatments and diagnostic methods, initially with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and later with other anxiety disorders as well, over the 15-year period 1991 to…

Objective: The authors determine whether Massachusetts General Hospital's residency graduates believed their training reflected their current practice activities. Method: The authors surveyed 134 graduates from MGH and MGH-McLean residency classes from 1983 to 2003. Subjects ranked their satisfaction with different components of training on a…

This article presents how the Valparaiso University Student Counseling and Development Center (SCDC) developed and delivers a combined service treatment model integrating pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy for a subset of the center's clients evidencing significant psychiatric concerns. To explicate the model, several documents that may be of…

In this article, the author conducts a preliminary review of the tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. He explains how and why such terrible events occur and provides some insights, principles, and strategies that may assist colleges in their quest to provide an optimally safe environment for their students and staff.