Bringing psychotherapy research to life: Understanding change through the work of leading clinical researchers.

Many clinicians today are unaware of the implications of psychotherapy research for their practice. Research that can readily be applied is not always easily found in original empirical papers. And while they know where to find details on methods and statistical procedures, today's clinicians may not grasp the larger picture of psychotherapy research from the past 50 years. Bringing Psychotherapy Research To Life attempts to bridge these gaps by highlighting the work of 28 distinguished psychotherapy researchers, showing how their research programs changed the way we think about and practice psychotherapy. While honoring founders and influential members of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, the book illustrates how research has extended the following questions: What types of patients benefit from therapy? How can relationship problems best be handled? Under which circumstances can emotions be deepened? How does the therapist foster insight? How does the therapist facilitate behavioral change? This book presents scientifically rich and clinically relevant messages embedded in meaningful stories. By contextualizing the work of luminaries in psychotherapy research, it will appeal to students and practitioners alike, including those who want to survey the field as well as those who are looking to its foundations as a resource for fresh research questions. For readers who are primarily associated with a cognitive-behavioral approach, the book will also provide an overview of the constructs investigated and empirical methods used by researchers in the humanistic and psychodynamic traditions. "This important volume is both a tribute to the most significant figures in psychotherapy research and a valuable summary of the thrust of their individual contributions. It amounts to a concise yet comprehensive encyclopedia of psychotherapy research in a user-friendly format. A wonderful idea, carried through with verve--and love.--Paul L. Wachtel, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center" "The participants in this landmark volume are the Oscar winners in the field of psychotherapy. Distinguished psychotherapy clinician-researchers all, the authors write appreciatively of their pioneer-mentors' personal odysseys and compellingly describe the outstanding contributions they made to psychotherapy research and clinical practice. In an age of evidence-based practice, this book's demonstration of how research is relevant to the practice of psychotherapy makes it essential reading for researchers and clinicians alike.--Stanley B. Messer, PhD, Dean, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ" "This book provides a who's who of psychotherapy research, complete with charming biographies and helpful summaries of the work of the giants of the field. A must-read for whoever wants to know where we are in psychotherapy research and how we got there.--George Stricker, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Argosy University, Washington, DC" "Therapists are flooded with data supporting cognitive therapy. Yet substantial process research supports the influence of variables like the working alliance, empathy, emotional deepening, mutually agreed-upon goals, and the therapist's personality. Through this collection of carefully constructed biographies of major psychotherapy researchers, therapists now have easy access to data supporting these less publicized keys to psychotherapeutic change. Each therapist is the medium through which clients find their own abilities to change. Let the authors and editors help clarify what you do and sharpen how you do it.--Bernard D. Beitman, MD, author of The Structure of Individual Psychotherapy and coauthor of Learning Psychotherapy and Counseling and Psychotherapy Essentials." "Many clinicians today are unaware of the implications of psychotherapy research for their practice. Research that can readily be applied may be difficult to find in original empirical papers, and lessons from the larger body of psychotherapy research are not always accessible. Bringing Psychotherapy Research to Life highlights the work of 28 distinguished psychotherapy researchers, showing how their research programs changed the way we think about and practice psychotherapy. While honoring the founders and influential members of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, the book illustrates how research has extended the following questions: What types of patients benefit from therapy? How can relationship problems best be handled? Under which circumstances can emotions be deepened? How does the therapist foster insight? How does the therapist facilitate behavioral change?" "This book presents scientifically rich and clinically relevant messages embedded in meaningful stories. By contextualizing the work of luminaries in psychotherapy research, it will appeal to students and practitioners alike, providing both a survey of the field and a resource for fresh research questions. Readers who are primarily associated with a cognitive-behavioral approach will also benefit from an overview of the constructs investigated and empirical methods used by researchers in the humanistic and psychodynamic traditions."--Jacket A brief introduction to psychotherapy research -- J. Christopher Muran, Louis G. Castonguay, and Bernhard Strauss Carl Rogers : idealistic pragmatist and psychotherapy research pioneer -- Robert Elliott and Barry A. Farber Jerome D. Frank : psychotherapy researcher and humanitarian -- Bruce E. Wampold and Joel Weinberger Lester Luborsky : a trailblazer in empirical research on psychoanalytic therapy -- Paul Crits-Christoph, Jacques P. Barber, Brin F.S. Grenyer, and Louis Diguer Hans Strupp : a founder's contributions to a scientific basis for psychotherapy practice -- Karla Moras, Timothy Anderson, and William E. Piper -- Aaron T. Beck : the cognitive revolution in theory and therapy -- Steven D. Hollon Irene Elkin: "The data are always friendly" -- Karla Moras and M. Tracie Shea Kenneth I. Howard : the best friend that psychotherapy research ever had -- David E. Orlinsky, Merton S. Krause, Fredrick L. Newman, Robert J. Lueger, and Wolfgang Lutz Allen E. Bergin : consummate scholar and charter member of the Society for Psychotherapy Research -- Michael J. Lambert, Alan S. Gurman, and P. Scott Richards Klaus Grawe : on a constant quest for a truly integrative and research-based psychotherapy -- Franz Caspar and Martin Grosse Holtforth Marvin R. Goldfried : pioneering spirit and integrative force -- Louis G. Castonguay and John C. Norcross Michael J. Lambert : building confidence in psychotherapy -- Benjamin M. Ogles and Jeffrey A. Hayes Clara E. Hill : a rebel with several causes -- Sarah Knox Eugene Gendlin : experiential philosophy and psychotherapy -- David L. Rennie, Arthur C. Bohart, and Alberta E. Pos Laura Rice : natural observer of psychotherapy process -- Jeanne C. Watson and Hadas Wiseman Leslie Greenberg : emotional change leads to positive outcome -- Rhonda N. Goldman, Lynne Angus, and Jeremy D. Safran Edward S. Bordin : innovative thinker, influential investigator, and inspiring teacher -- Michael J. Constantino, Nicholas Ladany, and Thomas D. Borkovec Donald J. Kiesler : interpersonal manifesto -- Christopher C. Wagner and Jeremy D. Safran Lorna Smith Benjamin : love, loyalty, and learning in close attachment relationships -- Kenneth L. Critchfield David E. Orlinsky : developing psychotherapy research, researching psychotherapist development -- Micheal Helge Rønnestad, Ulrike Willutzki, and Margarita Tarragona Horst Kächele : bringing research, practice, and people together -- Bernhard Strauss Enrico Jones : appreciating complexity -- Tai Katzenstein, Peter Fonagy, and J. Stuart Ablon David A. Shapiro : psychotherapeutic investigations -- Michael Barkham, Glenys Parry, and Gillian E. Hardy Robert Elliott : commitment to experience -- Rhea Partyka William B. Stiles : empathic reflections, voices, and theory building -- Meredith Glick Brinegar and Katerine Osatuke Sol L. Garfield : a pioneer in bringing science to clinical psychology -- Larry E. Beutler and Anne D. Simons Larry E. Beutler: a matter of principles -- Paulo P. P. Machado, Héctor Fernández Álvarez, and John F. Clarkin Sidney J. Blatt : relatedness, self-definition, and mental representation -- John S. Auerbach, Kenneth N. Levy, and Carrie E. Schaffer William E. Piper : negotiating the complexities of psychotherapy -- John S. Ogrodniczuk Future directions : emerging opportunities and challenges in psychotherapy research -- Lynne Angus, Jeffrey A. Hayes, Timothy Anderson, Nicholas Ladany, Louis G. Castonguay, and J. Christopher Muran. "This book brings together a large number of influential research programs that have changed the way we think about and practice psychotherapy. It presents the main findings derived by such scholarly and empirical endeavors in a way that, we hope, is conceptually meaningful and clinically relevant. These findings are also described in the context of the personal and professional journeys within which they originated; they are, in other words, historicized to some extent. We believe that such conceptualizing of scientific work can bring research to life and, in doing so, may help many clinicians to get back in touch with the excitement toward science that many of us felt as we first entered graduate school. The marriage between research and practice has been long recognized as a troubled one. There are clinicians who reject research, and there are researchers who refuse to practice. There are, however, researchers who practice, and there are certainly practitioners who conduct research. This volume presents the contributions of those who are the embodiment of the scientist-practitioner model and depict this marriage at its best. The volume describes findings that will resonate with many clinicians' observations and reflections. In addition, it presents empirical results that will challenge some therapists' habitual ways of thinking about clients and their work with them. We hope that, ultimately, it will provide new directions to improve practice. This attempt of ours to make empirical findings clinically relevant, and thus to reduce the gap between research and practice, is one of the two overarching goals of this book. The other goal is to pay tribute to pioneers in the field of psychotherapy research"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)