Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology: What Psychotherapists Can Learn From Research on Treatment and Psychotherapist Responsiveness

TLDR: In this paper, the authors examine the history of developing evidence-based practices and speculate about the future, given the large changes that will occur with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Abstract: Our purpose is to aid psychotherapists in making the best psychotherapeutic choices they can to help their clients and patients become healthier. We conclude that the psychotherapist can (a) build psychotherapeutic skills, (b) enhance relationship skills, (c) diagnose accurately, (d) conceptualize accurately, (e) build a repertoire of abilities to use many evidence-based treatments and know also when they are best applied, (f) develop more competence to discern which treatment should be used for particular clients with a particular diagnoses, and (g) hone skills to match treatments to clients to maximize their strengths, relationship qualities, and willingness to engage in the therapeutic process. In discussing these areas, we examine the history of developing evidence-based practices and speculate about the future, given the large changes that will occur with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Copyright ©2016 by SAGE Publications, Inc. This work may not be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without express written permission of the publisher. Do no t c op y, po st, or di str ibu te Chapter 3  evidenCe-Based praCtiCe in psyChology 59