What can we learn from what works across therapies?

Abstract

The recent trend in Evidence Based Treatment (EBT) has made counselling more prescriptive about what treatments should and should not be offered to whom. Although evidence suggests that EBT does not necessarily improve treatment effectiveness or client outcomes, it is assumed that evidence-based counselling models and techniques have intrinsic potency, and are more effective than other models in the treatment of certain disorders. The assumption is largely derived from the success of the Medical Model. A number of studies have found that there is little variation in outcomes between models of counselling including EBT. Research suggests that what is important is not what distinguishes one model from another, but rather the commonalities between them. This paper examines the common factors that have been found to have a more positive impact on counselling outcomes than selecting prescribed evidence based treatment approaches. These factors do not constitute an alternative modality but rather highlight potent ingredients common to all modalities. Being aware of what these factors are and integrating them into practice has the potential for improving outcomes.