Recognition of Psychotherapy Effectiveness American Psychological Association

Council voted to adopt as APA policy the following Resolution on the Recognition of Psychotherapy Effectiveness: WHEREAS: psychotherapy is rooted in and enhanced by a therapeutic alliance between therapist and client/patient that involves a bond between the psychologist and the client/patient as well as agreement about the goals and tasks of the treatment (Cuijpers, van Straten, Andersson, & van Oppen, 2008; Lambert, 2004; Karver, Handelsman, & Bickman, 2006; Norcross, 2011; Shirk & Karver, 2003; Wampold, 2007); WHEREAS: psychotherapy (individual, group, and couple/ family) is a practice designed varyingly to provide symptom relief and personality change, reduce future symptomatic episodes, enhance quality of life, promote adaptive functioning in work/school and relationships, increase the likelihood of making healthy life choices, and offer other benefits established by the collaboration between client/patient and psychologist (American Group Psychotherapy Association, 2007; APA Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice, 2006; Burlingame, Fuhriman, & Mosier, 2003; Carr, 2009a, 2009b; Kosters, Burlingame, Nachtigall, & Strauss, 2006; Shedler, 2010; Wampold, 2007, 2010);