How and Why Are Some Therapists Better Than Others?

Louis G. Castonguay, PhD, completed his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, a clinical internship at U.C. Berkeley, and a Post-doctorate at Stanford University. He is currently a Professor at the Department of Psychology at Penn State University. With more than 8 publications (including eight co-edited books), his scholarly work and research focus on different aspects of the process of change and training, especially within the context of psychotherapy integration of psychotherapy. He is also involved in the investigation of the efficacy of new integrative treatments for generalized anxiety disorder and depression, and the development of Practice Research Networks aimed at facilitating the collaboration between clinicians and researchers. He has received several awards, including the Early Career Contribution Award from the Society of Psychotherapy Research, and the David Shakow Award from the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association (APA). He has also received four recognitions from the APA Division of Psychotherapy: the Jack D. Krasner Memorial Award, the Distinguished Contributions to Teaching and Mentoring, the Distinguished Research Publications Award, and the Distinguished Psychologist Award for his life time contributions to the field of psychotherapy. He also served as President of the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research, as well as the International Society for Psychotherapy Research.Clara E. Hill, PhD, completed her doctorate in Counseling Psychology at Southern Illinois University and a clinical internship at University of Florida. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland. With 2 books, 74 book chapters, and 2 5 journal articles, her scholarly work and research focus on psychotherapy process, therapist interventions, therapist training, dream work, meaning in life, and qualitative research methods. She has received several awards, including the Leona Tyler Award from Division 7 of the American Psychological Association, the Distinguished Psychologist Award from Division 29 of the American Psychological Association, the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award from the Section of Counseling and Psychotherapy Process and Outcome Research of the Society for Counseling Psychology, and the Distinguished Research Career Award, Society for Psychotherapy Research. She served as the Editor of the Journal of Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy Research, and also served as the President of the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research, as well as the International Society for Psychotherapy Research.

• ContributorsPrefaceIntroductionLouis G. Castonguay and Clara E. HillPart I: Empirical FoundationsChapter : Therapist Effects, Effective Therapists, and the Law of VariabilityMichael Barkham, Wolfgang Lutz, Michael J. Lambert, and David SaxonChapter 2: What Characterizes Effective Therapists?Bruce E. Wampold, Scott A. Baldwin, Martin grosse Holtforth, and Zac E. ImelChapter 3: Who Works for Whom and Why? Integrating Therapist Effects Analysis Into Psychotherapy Outcome and Process ResearchMichael J. Constantino, James F. Boswell, Alice E. Coyne, David R. Kraus, and Louis G. CastonguayPart II: Conceptual ContributionsChapter 4: Appropriate Responsiveness as a Contribution to Therapist EffectsWilliam B. Stiles and Adam O. HorvathChapter 5: Therapist Presence, Absence, and Extraordinary PresenceJeffrey A. Hayes and Maria VincaChapter : Inner Experience and the Good TherapistCharles J. Gelso and Andres E. Perez-RojasChapter 7: The Role of the Therapist's Attachment in the Process and Outcome of PsychotherapyBernhard M. Strauss and Katja PetrowskiChapter 8: The Role of Therapist Skills in Therapist EffectivenessTimothy Anderson and Clara E. HillChapter 9: The Contributions of Client Culture to Differential Therapist EffectivenessJeffrey A. Hayes, Jesse Owen, and Helene A. Nissen-LieChapter : Therapist Negative Reactions: How to Transform Toxic ExperiencesAbraham W. Wolf, Marvin R. Goldfried, and J. Christopher MuranChapter : Professional Expertise in PsychotherapyFranz CasparChapter 2: Gaining Therapeutic Wisdom and Skills From Creative Others (Writers, Actors, Musicians, and Dancers)Barry A. FarberPart III:  Empirical ContributionsChapter 3: Effective Therapists in Psychodynamic Therapy for Depression: What Interventions Are Used and How?Nadia Kuprian, Harold Chui, and Jacques P. BarberChapter 4: Effective and Less Effective Therapists for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Are They Conducting Therapy the Same Way?Soo Jeong Youn, Henry Xiao, Hanjoo Kim, Louis G. Castonguay, Andrew A. McAleavey, Michelle G. Newman, and Jeremy D. SafranChapter 5: Something to Laugh About: Humor as a Characteristic of Effective TherapistsSarah Knox, Meghan C. Butler, Dakota J. Kaiser, Graham Knowlton, and Clara E. HillPart IV: Implications and ConclusionsChapter : The Implications of Therapist Effects for Routine Practice, Policy, and TrainingJames F. Boswell, David R. Kraus, Michael J. Constantino, Matteo Bugatti, and Louis G. CastonguayChapter 7: Therapist Effects: Integration and ConclusionsClara E. Hill and Louis G. CastonguayIndexAbout the Editors

amp ldquo This book does a good job of exploring what factors impact therapist effects. amp rdquo -Doody amp rsquo s Review Serviceamp ldquo Ambitious in its scope, this book brings an innovative perspective to the improvement of psychotherapy practice. Chapter references and an index help to make the volume an invaluable resource for program directors, policy makers, and researchers, as well as practitioners themselves. amp rdquo -Choices Ambitious in its scope, this book brings an innovative perspective to the improvement of psychotherapy practice. Chapter references and an index help to make the volume an invaluable resource for program directors, policy makers, and researchers, as well as practitioners themselves.(Choice) Provides current researchers excellent reviews and critiques of existing research on various aspects of therapist effects.(PsycCRITIQUES) This book does a good job of exploring what factors impact therapist effects.(Doody's Review Service) Mix a bunch of expert research practitioners together to discuss what makes a therapist effective and you get this wonderful book filled with wisdom and research on what characteristics make some therapists better than others. Many of these characteristics can be acquired, and this is unquestionably the best current training guide for therapists.- Leslie S. Greenberg, PhD, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Paraphrasing Lake Wobegon's Garrison Keillor, we would like to think that all therapists are way above average. But in fact, some therapists are better than others, and that has implications for how we practice, how we train and supervise, and how we shape health care policy. Refreshingly, this book focuses on therapists rather than treatments. It is a must-read for all of us wanting to do the best by our clients.- Hanna Levenson, PhD, Wright Institute, Berkeley, CA Program directors, policymakers, psychotherapists, and psychotherapy researchers will all find this book useful. The authors review important findings on therapist effectiveness and the factors involved in differences. One chapter considers the policy implications of the troubling finding that there is a group of 5% to 2 % of therapists who are consistently at the bottom of the heap in effectiveness.- Dianne L. Chambless, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia