🚀 go-pugleaf

I want to second Jason Seidel's concern about this project.  However, I
don't see the statement about the inevitability of guidelines as a
regrettable indication of resignation--I see it as a disingenuous attempt
to enlist practitioners in their own disenfranchisement.  The coalition
invites all to participate in the project of identifying "effective"
therapies, but the criteria for effectiveness are assumed, and support the
theoretical biases of those promoting the project.  The claim that a
therapy is effective begs the question "effective for what?"  If you
assume that psychotherapy is a quasi-medical treatment for naturally
occurring "disorders", you will have very different criteria for
effectiveness than if you assume that the goal is to facilitate the
client's pursuit of a more satisfying and meaningful life (alleviating
some specific distress may be a part of this goal--but only part).

Unless the coalition is willing to begin by considering the question of
the goals of therapy and the criteria for effectiveness (which their
short timeline seems to prohibit), I can't see this as anything but a
political move to delegitimize all therapies that don't fit within a
narrow, quasi-medical meta-model of therapy.  Those of us who practice
humanistic, psychodynamic, or constructivist therapies should recognize
that we are excluded from this process before it starts--and perhaps we
should be organizing our own coalition.

Regards,

Tim


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Tim Connor, M.S.                                        "Psychotherapy is not
Pacific University                                      an applied science, it
School of Professional Psychology                       is a basic science in
2004 Pacific Avenue                                     which the scientists
Forest Grove, OR 97116   USA                            are the client and his
<connort@pacificu.edu>                                  therapist"
                                                                --George Kelly
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