This manuscript provides six suggestions to support finding and developing mentorship relationships in the area of psychotherapy research. Suggestions are provided for both the mentee-to-be as well as the mentor towards the mutual goal of building a supportive, collaborative, and productive mentorship relationship.
Introduction When we, as a profession, consider ways to advance psychotherapy, we must begin by striving for nothing less than fair, accessible, and clinically competent services for all populations—especially those who have historically been underserved and underrepresented. One such population that is frequently overlooked and underappreciated on a global realm are persons with disabilities (PWD), […]
A Psychological Perspective on Collective Action and Healing The field of psychology has traditionally focused on promoting the well-being of individuals, couples, families, and even groups, but has focused less on promoting the well-being and healing of communities as a whole. There is much that psychology can offer to promote connection and health within communities […]
According to the United States Census Bureau, 60.4% of the United States population consists of White persons not of Hispanic or Latino ethnicities, and 41.8% of the population consists of racial/ethnic groups identified as Black or African American, American Indian and Native Alaskan, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latino, or those […]
Clinical situations involving high-risk factors (e.g., suicidality) can be stressful and demanding for therapists (Cramer et al., 2013; The Suicide and Self-Destructive Behaviors Study Group, 2018). Challenging client behaviors, including those related to high risk, have also been linked to burnout (Berger, 2011; Ross et al., 1989; Rupert & Morgan, 2005). Arguably, these factors can […]
The Complex Nature of Therapeutic Empathy Therapeutic empathy has long been identified as a particularly robust predictor of outcome (e.g., Elliot et al., 2018; Lafferty et al., 1989; Luborsky et al., 1988), yet its complexity has made it difficult to operationalize. Historically, some theorists have emphasized the sensory-emotional components (Kohut, 1959; Titchener, 1915), while others […]
Ample research suggests that therapists differ in their level of effectiveness (Blow et. al., 2007; Wampold, 2001). Even more striking is that therapist effects appear to be larger than treatment effects (e.g., Lindgren et al., 2010). These findings suggest that “who” the therapist is may be more important than the type of treatment used. Moreover, […]
As of May 2018, approximately 50 million Americans are using online and mobile app dating services (hereafter referred to as “online dating”; Seetharaman & Wells, 2018). With one out of five relationships now starting online (Cacioppo et al., 2013; Hamilton, 2016), mental health professionals and graduate students are likely using these services. Indeed, a recent […]
Steve Ragusea, a long-time psychologist friend, keeps reminding me that “clinician burnout” is a major public health hazard in today’s healthcare environment. The National Academy of Medicine’s report “Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being” fully supports his view, finding that between 35 and 54 percent of the nation’s nurses and […]
As a third-year graduate student, I recall being asked to engage in a classroom debate on the question of whether good psychotherapists were “born versus made”. We were allowed a few weeks to prepare arguments before our teams faced off to debate the issue, with notecards of points and citations at the ready. As a […]