Which of the following statements about counseling and psychotherapy have been proven to be true? a) Intake interviews, routinely done during the first meeting with a new client, provide a reliable foundation on which to base a diagnosis and treatment plan. b) The most effective "dosage" of therapy has been found to be around 45-50 minutes, which is why the "50-minute hour" is the usual length of time for a single session. c) Evidence-Based Practices are the standard techniques used by clinicians. d) Therapists become more effective over time, and the best therapists are the ones with the most experience and most training. e) None of the above. Which of the following statements about counseling and psychotherapy are false? a) Thanks to careful and methodical research, we know precisely the qualities that make a good therapist. b) Knowledge gained from Randomized Controlled Trials and other rigorous studies informs training program design, teaching methods, and clinical practice. c) When a client achieves a successful outcome from therapy, the results can be traced through the therapeutic process, and the results are long-lasting. d) Our training programs are routinely reconfigured to ensure they are in line with the most up-to-date information. e) All of the above. You might be surprised that the answer to both questions is "e." Although there are countless studies on the effectiveness of counseling, there is also compelling evidence that researchers have difficulty replicating results of studies. There are many common elements of counseling practice that lack an evidentiary basis, and yet some of these components remain unquestioned, unchallenged, and accepted as the way things are. Book jacket.

There are certain assumptions about the practice of counseling that are accepted as "truths," beliefs that are so pervasive that they remain unchallenged by almost all practitioners of all persuasions and approaches. In this book noted authors Jeffrey Kottler and Rick Balkin cover a wide range of myths, misconceptions, and assumptions that have remained unchallenged or that have little research to support their efficacy. Topics covered include the sacrosanct "50 minute hour," how basic research is conducted and whether the results inform actual practice, why progress made in therapy often doesn't last, what social justice actually means, and what makes someone an effective therapist. Each chapter describes an issue, explores the way it operates in daily practice, and then presents empirical evidence to question or challenge its current use. In cases where there is little or no definitive research to support or refute the procedure, belief, or practice the authors present some critical questions that will at the very least encourage counselors to reflect on what they do and why.

"In Myths, Misconceptions, and Invalid Assumptions about Counseling the authors examine the science, art, and certainties and uncertainties of psychotherapy. In this book we have selected several dozen issues in our field, many of which are considered generally accepted principles or operating assumptions. We put them under close scrutiny to examine them more carefully. We've considered a wide variety of subjects, ranging from those that relate to our espoused beliefs, theoretical models, favored techniques and interventions, to accreditation and licensing requirements. We have also addressed some of the sanctioned statements about the nature and meaning of empirically supported and evidence based treatments. We even question what we can truly "know" for sure and how we can be certain these things are true. When considering the efficacy of psychotherapy, there is overwhelming evidence that the vast majority of clients are significantly improved as a result of our treatments. Advances in the models, methods, and strategies during the last few decades have allowed us to work more swiftly and efficiently, to reach a much more economically and culturally diverse population. But do we really know and understand as much as we pretend to? Is the foundation upon which we stand actually as stable and certain as we think, or at least claim to believe? Are the major assumptions and "truths" that we take for granted and accept as foundational principles really supported by solid data? And how might these assumptions, beliefs, and constructs we hold so sacred perhaps compromise and limit increased creativity and innovation? These are some of the uncomfortable and provocative questions that we wish to raise, and perhaps challenge, so that we might consider alternative conceptions that might further increase our effectiveness and improve our knowledge base grounded with solid evidence"--

The therapist's journey -- Struggles for power and influence -- Personal and professional lives -- On being a therapeutic storyteller- and listener -- How clients change their therapists -- Hardships of therapeutic practice -- Being imperfect, living with failure -- Patients who test our patience -- Boredom and burnout -- That which is not said : myths and secrets -- Lies we tell ourselves- and others -- Self-care prospects and realities : becoming models for our clients -- Alternative therapies for therapists -- Toward creativity and personal growth -- On being a client : how to get the most from therapy.

"Talk with any clinician about what they do, and you will likely hear a story-not about an amazing turn-around or a typical case--but probably about a difficult case, perhaps one in which the clinician questioned the outcome or did not feel very successful. Client failure is a real phenomenon. Unlike medical care where a physician assumes responsibility for treating, and often, curing an illness, addressing mental health concerns is not so cut and dry"--

Clinical Thinking in Psychotherapy empowers practitioners and students to better understand clients by attending to both verbal and nonverbal forms of expression. Readers will find tools for unlearning biases and for providing effective therapy with transcripts and dialogic tools. Chapters focus on how to practice clinical thinking, how to teach it, and how to reflect on what is being taught. Therapists, supervisors, and students alike will come away from this book with decision tree questions and prompts, as well as metacognitive questions for structuring consultations and producing desirable outcomes for the clinician and the patient.

There is relatively little written for White therapists about how they and their White clients can dismantle White supremacy. Drawing attention to this issue, and building support among White practitioners, Jason Brown aims to dismantle White supremacy in professional activities with clients, in the profession itself, and in public policy.