The authors of the Major Contribution have developed a complex and elegant three-level training model on which they suggest advanced microskills may be built. Prior to the description of their model, they have built a case that current microskills training has proved foundationally important but insufficient to training needs. They then invite colleagues to evaluate their model for viability and utility.
This reaction suggests that the model could be enriched by incorporating survey data regarding how doctoral programs are currently teaching advanced psychotherapy/counseling skills, outcome data from common factors and master therapists’ research, and the APA Competency Benchmarks work. In addition, the contribution contains a detailed, very useful teaching application, and some similarly detailed research suggestions would be helpful to encourage research on the model.
BaldwinS. A.WampoldB. E.ImelZ. E. (2007). Untangling the alliance–outcome correlation: Exploring the relative importance of therapist and patient variability in the alliance. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 842-852.
2.
BarlowD. H. (Ed.). (2008). Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual (4th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
3.
Commission on Accreditation. (2009). Guidelines and principles for accreditation of programs in professional psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
4.
DuncanB. L.MillerS. D.WampoldB. E.HubbleM. A. (2010). The heart and soul of change: Delivering what works in therapy (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
5.
FouadN. A.GrusC. L.HatcherR. L.KaslowN. J.HutchingsP. S.MadsonM.. . . CrossmanR. E. (2009). Competency Benchmarks: A model for the understanding and measuring of competence in professional psychology across training levels. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 4, S5-S26.
6.
HatcherR. L.LassiterK. D. (2007). Initial training in professional psychology: The practicum competencies outline. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 1, 49-63.
7.
HillC. E. (2004). Helping skills: Facilitating exploration, insight, and action (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
8.
HillC. E.LentR. W. (2006). A narrative and meta-analytic review of helping skills training: Time to revive a dormant area of inquiry. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 43, 154-172.
9.
HillC. E.StahlJ.RoffmanM. (2007). Training novice psychotherapists: Helping skills and beyond. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 44, 364-370.
10.
JenningsL.HansonM.SkovholtT. M.GrierT. (2005). Searching for mastery. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 27, 19-31.
11.
JohnsonS. L. (2004). Therapist’s guide to clinical intervention: The 1-2-3’s of treatment planning (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
12.
KaslowN. J.BordenK. A.CollinsF. L.ForrestL.Illfelder-KayeJ.NelsonP. D.RalloJ. S. (2004). Competencies conference: Future directions in education and credentialing in professional psychology. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 60, 699-712.
13.
KaslowN. J.GrusC. L.CampbellL. F.FouadN. A.HatcherR. L.RodolfaE. R. (2009). Competency assessment toolkit for professional psychology. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 3, S27-S45.
14.
MartinD. J.GarskeJ. P.DavisM. K. (2000). Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 438-450.
15.
NathanP. E.GormanJ. M. (2002). A guide to treatments that work (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
16.
NorcrossJ. C.LambertM. J. (2005). The therapy relationship. In NorcrossJ. C.BeutlerL. E.LevantR. F. (Eds.), Evidence-based practices in mental health: Debate and dialogue on the fundamental questions (pp. 208-217). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
17.
OrlinskyD. E.RonnestadM. H.WillutzkiU. (2004). Fifty years of process-outcome research: Continuity and change. In LambertM. J. (Ed.), Bergin and Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (5th ed., pp. 307-390). New York, NY: John Wiley.
18.
RodolfaE. R.BentR.EismanE.NelsonP.RehmL.RitchieP. (2005). A cube model for competency development: Implications for psychology educators and regulators. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36, 347-354.
19.
RothA.FonagyP. (2005). What works for whom? (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
20.
SkovholtT. M. (2005). The cycle of caring: A model of expertise in the helping professions. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 27, 82-93.
21.
SkovholtT. M.RonnestadM. H. (2003). Struggles of the novice counselor and therapist. Journal of Career Development, 30, 45-58.
22.
SkovholtT. M.StarkeyM. T. (2010). The three legs of the practitioners’ stool: Practice, research/theory, and personal life. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 40, 125-130.
23.
SullivanM. F.SkovholtT. M.JenningsL. (2005). Master therapists’ construction of the therapy relationship. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 27, 48-70.
24.
WampoldB. E. (2001). The great psychotherapy debate: Model, methods, and findings. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
25.
WarnathC. F. (1979). Counselor burnout: Existential crisis or a problem for the profession?Personnel and Guidance Journal, 57, 325-328.
26.
WarnathC. F.SheltonJ. (1976). The ultimate disappointment: The burned-out counselor. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 55, 172-175.
