Who Your Therapist Is Matters More Than the Model They Use

"I am a diehard EMDR therapist, so when friends and family ask for therapist recommendations, I usually recommend they go to an EMDR therapist. But this brings me to a crucial, often overlooked truth: it can be a trap to get too caught up in the therapy models themselves-CBT, EMDR, IFS, DBT, ACT, or others. Clients usually search for therapists based on modality, sometimes even assuming that one model will "fix" them better than another, and miss what matters much more: Who delivers them."

"Therapists, too, can become highly invested in their chosen models, spending years getting certified and mastering model-specific protocols, processes, and techniques. Models are merely tools. What makes therapy work is less the method-it's more the relationship. What actually drives long-term change has much more to do with who the therapist is than the specific model they practice."

"The therapy model accounts for roughly 15 percent of outcomes, while the therapeutic relationship accounts for more than 30 percent (Hubble, Duncan, and Miller, 1999; Lambert and Barley, 2001; Miller, Seidel, and Hubble, 2015). More recently, Norcross and Wampold (2019) emphasized that common factors(what all good therapy tends to have in common, independent of therapy model)-like empathy, strength of the therapeutic connection, goal consensus, and therapist authenticity -play a significantly larger role in client improvement than specific interventions and or modality."

Personal qualities of the therapist and the strength of the therapeutic alliance drive treatment outcomes more than specific therapy models. Models account for roughly 15 percent of outcomes while the therapeutic relationship accounts for over 30 percent. Common factors such as empathy, emotional attunement, goal consensus, and therapist authenticity significantly influence client improvement. Therapists can become attached to their chosen modalities, treating models as ends rather than tools. Clients who select therapists by modality risk overlooking fit and relational factors. Prioritizing therapist fit and relational skills increases likelihood of long-term change.

Read at Psychology Today