Research and Methods

How Research on Therapy Outcomes Shapes My Approach

I'm sharing information about the research and methods behind my approach to help you understand your treatment. By explaining the evidence supporting the therapies I use and their strengths, I aim to instill confidence in the care you'll receive. This also shows how the therapy is tailored to your needs.

The Research and Evidence Supporting My Counselling Approach

My counselling approach is grounded in evidence-based practices, with a strong focus on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is widely supported by research for its effectiveness in treating various mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and panic disorders.

Why the APA calls CBT a First-Line Treatment: The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes CBT as a first-line treatment for multiple conditions, citing its consistent positive outcomes across many studies (APA, 2017; APA, 2021). A First-line treatment is the recommended starting point for therapy because it works well for most people before considering other options.

What is Empirically Supported Treatment? Empirically Supported Treatment (EST) refers to therapies that research has shown to be effective in treating disorders. For a therapy to be considered an EST, it must meet these key criteria:

Proven Effectiveness: The therapy must have been tested in studies that show it works for specific mental health issues.
Consistent Results: It should show positive outcomes in multiple studies with different people and settings.
Reproducible: The therapy should produce the same positive results when used again in other studies or real-world situations.
Statistical Significance: The results must be measurable and not just due to chance.
Recognized by Experts: Major professional groups, like the American Psychological Association (APA), must approve it based on research evidence.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a key EST example, shown in multiple studies, to effectively treat issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, making it a trusted method for these conditions.

What is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)?: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) tests the effectiveness of a therapy. Participants are randomly divided into two groups: one receives the treatment (like CBT), and the other gets a different treatment or no treatment. This allows researchers to compare the therapy's effects against a control group.

Why is CBT Often Tested with RCTs?

CBT is often tested with RCTs because it's one of the most widely used therapies. Testing it this way helps show whether it’s truly effective or if other factors are at play. It’s also used to refine the therapy, which works better for different people or conditions.

Acknowledging Limitations: While CBT is highly effective, other therapies like acceptance and commitment therapy can also be just as successful for certain conditions and less successful for other disorders. Additionally, research on CBT has historically lacked diversity, though recent studies are improving this aspect.

Common Factors Matter Too: While CBT is effective, research also shows that the keys to success are having a strong, trusting relationship with the therapist, showing empathy, and the client engaged in therapy. Using common factors along with structured therapies like CBT can improve treatment results.

Example Study Results

Meta-analysis of CBT (Hofmann et al., 2012):
A review of 269 studies with over 14,000 participants showed CBT effectively treats anxiety, depression, PTSD, and OCD, with lasting benefits over time.

RCT by Haddad et al. (2024):
A study of 500+ participants found both traditional and internet-based CBT reduced depressive symptoms and lowered relapse rates, highlighting CBT's flexibility.

How Combining Different Therapy Techniques Shapes My Counselling

Why I Use Different Therapy Techniques in My Approach

I use a mix of therapy techniques because I believe no single method can fully address everyone's unique experiences. Here's how and why I integrate different approaches:

Psychotherapy Integration:
This approach combines different therapy techniques to create a personalized treatment plan that fits your unique needs. It allows me to choose the best methods for you.
Assimilative Integration:
This is a type of psychotherapy integration that involves using one main therapy model, like CBT, while adding helpful techniques from other therapies to address a broader range of issues and personalize treatment.
Incorporating NCBT and CBFT:
- Narrative-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (NCBT): Helps clients change negative beliefs about themselves and see their problems from a new, empowering perspective. This complements CBT by addressing deeper personal stories and self-narratives.
- Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy (CBFT): Improves family relationships by identifying and changing unhealthy family roles. Adding this to CBT helps address relational issues that can affect mental health, offering a more holistic approach to treatment.
Personalized Treatment:
By combining these approaches, I can help with not just your thoughts and behaviours but also deeper personal struggles, family issues, and relationship challenges, giving you more complete and well-rounded treatment.
Integrating the Kintsugi Philosophy:
I also use ideas from the Kintsugi philosophy to help clients see their challenges as part of their healing process. This approach encourages viewing struggles as opportunities for personal growth and change.

This approach allows me to offer more flexible therapy that’s tailored to your unique needs, helping you make lasting changes.