Importance of Interpersonal Skills in Counselling
The Right Way of Being
In 1957 Rogers postulated 6 basic conditions that are both necessary and sufficient in order for the therapeutic change to take place. These conditions didn’t describe any theoretical approach the therapist should assume nor they requested any psychological knowledge, they merely defined the psychological state of the therapist (Rogers, 1957). This psychological state (and client being aware of this state) alone was sufficient to bring about a personality change in client and cause psychological healing (Rogers, 1957).
Roger’s suggestions sound exceptionally relevant in light of current research on the effectiveness of psychotherapies based on different theoretical approaches. Studies looking at different psychotherapies largely find all of them to be equally effective (Lambert, 2005, Luborsky et al, 2002, Messer & Wampold, 2002, Wampold et al, 1997).
One of the first works that draw attentions to actual equality of all psychotherapies was Rosenzweig’s (1936) seminal survey. This phenomenon of equality of all psychotherapies gained name after a famous Dodo bird character from Alice in Wonderland that after a race famously pronounced that “Everybody has won, and all must have prizes." (Carroll, 1916, p. 7).
The Dodo bird effect is now widely recognized and accepted (Duncan, 2002, Messer & Wampold, 2006, Stiles, Shapiro & Elliot, 1986). This positive reception is based on massive amount of research that has repeatedly found psychotherapies to be equally efficient (Ahn & Wampold, 2001, Luborsky et al, 2002, Luborsky, Singer and Luborsky, 1975, Smith, Glass & Miller, 1980 as cited in Luborsky et al, 2002, Wampold et al, 1997, Wampold, Minami, Baskin & Tierney, 2002).
However number of these studies has been criticized both from proponents of Dodo bird effect and from its opponents.
Several studies, including for example meta-analysis conducted by Smith et al (1980 as cited Luborsky et al, 2002), were
In 1957 Rogers postulated 6 basic conditions that are both necessary and sufficient in order for the therapeutic change to take place. These conditions didn’t describe any theoretical approach the therapist should assume nor they requested any psychological knowledge, they merely defined the psychological state of the therapist (Rogers, 1957). This psychological state (and client being aware of this state) alone was sufficient to bring about a personality change in client and cause psychological healing (Rogers, 1957).
Roger’s suggestions sound exceptionally relevant in light of current research on the effectiveness of psychotherapies based on different theoretical approaches. Studies looking at different psychotherapies largely find all of them to be equally effective (Lambert, 2005, Luborsky et al, 2002, Messer & Wampold, 2002, Wampold et al, 1997).
One of the first works that draw attentions to actual equality of all psychotherapies was Rosenzweig’s (1936) seminal survey. This phenomenon of equality of all psychotherapies gained name after a famous Dodo bird character from Alice in Wonderland that after a race famously pronounced that “Everybody has won, and all must have prizes." (Carroll, 1916, p. 7).
The Dodo bird effect is now widely recognized and accepted (Duncan, 2002, Messer & Wampold, 2006, Stiles, Shapiro & Elliot, 1986). This positive reception is based on massive amount of research that has repeatedly found psychotherapies to be equally efficient (Ahn & Wampold, 2001, Luborsky et al, 2002, Luborsky, Singer and Luborsky, 1975, Smith, Glass & Miller, 1980 as cited in Luborsky et al, 2002, Wampold et al, 1997, Wampold, Minami, Baskin & Tierney, 2002).
However number of these studies has been criticized both from proponents of Dodo bird effect and from its opponents.
Several studies, including for example meta-analysis conducted by Smith et al (1980 as cited Luborsky et al, 2002), were
References: Arthur, A. R., 2001. Personality, epistemology and psychotherapists ' choice of theoretical model: A review and analysis. European Journal of Psychotherapy, Counselling & Health, 4(1), pp. 45-64. DOI: 10.1080/1364253011004008 2 Bakali, J Beitman, B., & Manring, J., 2009. Theory and practice of psychotherapy integration. In Gabbard, G.O. (Ed.),Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments. Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. Blatt, S. J., & Ford, R. Q., 1994. Therapeutic change: An object relations perspective. New York: Plenum Press Blow, A.J., Sprenkle, D.H., Davis, S.D., 2007 Caroll, L., 1916. Alice in Wonderland. New York: Sam 'l Gabriel sons & company. Available from: http://www.lakes.k12.in.us/216420323135917700/lib/216420323135917700/Alice_in_Wonderland[1].pdf Crits-Christoph, P., & Mintz, J., 1991 Duncan, B.L., 2002. The Legacy of Saul Rosenzweig: The Profundity of the Dodo Bird. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration. 12(1), pp. 32–57 Elkins, D.N., 2007 Eysenck, H. J., 1952/1999. The effects of psychotherapy: An evaluation. Reprinted in Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 60(5), pp. 659 – 663. Reprint of Journal of Consulting Psychology, 16, pp. 319-324 Frankl, V Garfield, S. L., 1996. Some problems associated with “validated” forms of psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 3(3), pp. 218-229. Grencavage, L. M., & Norcross, J. C., 1990. Where are the commonalities among the therapeutic common factors?. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21(5), pp. 372 – 378 Henry, W Jacobson, N. S., & Christensen, A., 1996. Studying the effectiveness of psychotherapy: How well can clinical trials do the job?. American Psychologist, 51(10), pp. 1031 – 1039 Jung, C.G., 1953 Lambert, M.J., 2005. Early Response in Psychotherapy: Further Evidence for the Importance of Common Factors Rather Than “Placebo Effects”. Journal of clinical psychology, 61(7), pp. 855–869. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20130 Lambert, M Luborsky, L., McLellan, A. T., Diguer, L., Woody, G., & Seligman, D. A., 1997.The Psychotherapist Matters: Comparison of Outcomes Across Twenty‐Two Therapists and Seven Patient Samples. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 4(1), pp. 53-65. Martin, D. J., Garske, J. P., & Davis, M. K., 2000. Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: a meta-analytic review. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 68(3), pp. 438 – 450 Messer, S.B., Wampold, B.E., 2002 Najavits, L. M., & Strupp, H. H., 1994. Differences in the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapists: A process-outcome study. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 31(1), pp. 114-123. Neville, B., 1991. Rogers, Jung and the postmodern condition. Paper presented to the 2nd International Conference on Client-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy, 1-6 July, Stirling, Scotland. Norcross, J.C., 2011. Psychotherapy relationships that work: evidence based responsiveness. New York: Oxford University Press Okiishi, J., Lambert, M Poznanski, J. J., & McLennan, J. (2003). Becoming a psychologist with a particular theoretical orientation to counselling practice. Australian psychologist, 38(3), pp. 223-226. Rogers, C.R., 1957. The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, pp. 95–103 Rogers, C.R., 1962 Rosenzweig, S., 1936. Some implicit common factors in diverse methods of psychotherapy [Abstract]. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry; American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 6, pp. 412-415. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1936.tb05248.x Safran, J Stiles, W.B., Shapiro, D.A., Elliott, R., 1986. "Are All Psychotherapies Equivalent?". American Psychologist. 41(2), pp. 165-180 Thwaites, R., & Bennett-Levy, J., 2007 Wampold, B. E., 2001. Contextualizing psychotherapy as a healing practice: Culture, history, and methods. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 10(2), pp. 69-86. Wampold, B. E., 2007. Psychotherapy: The humanistic (and effective) treatment. American Psychologist, 62(8), pp. 857-873. Wampold, B. E., & Brown, G. S. J., 2005. Estimating variability in outcomes attributable to therapists: A naturalistic study of outcomes in managed care.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(5), pp. 914-923.