Let's confront the unpleasant reality and say it out loud: The rivalrous warfare among theoretical orientations in psychotherapy has impeded scientific advances and hindered the development of effective treatments. In the dogma-eat-dogma environment of schoolism, clinicians traditionally operated from within their own particular theoretical frameworks, often to the point of being oblivious to alternative conceptualizations and potentially superior interventions. Although this ideological cold war may have been a necessary developmental stage, its day has come and passed. The ear of rapprochement is upon us…Hubble, Duncan, and Miller manifest considerable courage and admirable foresight in compiling this superb volume, aptly titles The Heart and Soul of Change, that summarizes what the evidence tells us actually works in psychotherapy, as opposed to what theorists posit should work. They expertly summarize and concretize the role of the common factors across the helping professions. The 14 chapters of this book convincingly demonstrate how these commonalties powerfully operate in any behavioral change enterprise, including individual therapy, medicine, pharmacotherapy, family therapy, and in the schools…The Heart and Soul of Change transcends the therapy wars and advances a mature peace in which effective psychotherapy and suffering clients are the victors.
—John C. Norcross
Every year I read numerous books. Only a few alter my thought and make a lasting impact. This one is my nominee for book of the year. It dispatched mechanistic reductionism, drug metaphors for therapy evaluation, and prescriptive matching of diagnosis (DSM-IV) with empirically validated techniques. The elucidation of a common factors model with the client as agent and their one-dimensional technologies. Mental health training programs will inevitably make this volume required reading.
—Allen E. Bergin, PhD, Department of Psychology and Clinical Psychology, Brigham Young University
Like a juggernaut, this volume demolishes the belief that therapy models matter most and then skillfully rebuilds a solid case for what makes for effective therapy.
—William J. Doherty, PhD, Professor and Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program, University of Minnesota
A truly excellent and exciting volume, developing the common factors argument better that I've seen done before. The editors and contributors have done a great job.
—David A. Shapiro, PhD, University of Leeds
The editors have assembled some of the best researchers and practitioners in the field today to analyze the extensive literature on common factors and to offer their own evaluations of what those data mean for therapy, therapists, and consumers. Consistent patterns are revealed in findings from multiple perspectives…The result is a book that provocatively interprets in a scholarly yet accessible manner the empirical foundation of how people change. Clinicians will especially appreciate the wealth of practical suggestions for using the common factors to improve their daily practice.
—Adolescence, Vol 34, No 136, Winter 1999
In light of their study of the clinical and research literature, the editors found that the effectiveness of therapy depended not on a particular therapeutic approach on four factors common to all therapies…In this volume, they have brought together distinguished contributors to explore the implications of this finding.
—Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, Vol 63, No 4, (Fall 1999)
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