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REACHing the Next Level of Clinical Performance: What it Really Takes
Do any of these people look familiar? Well, of course, I’m the guy in the middle pointing. To my left is the rock and roll guitarist Joe Walsh. On my right is world-renowned, card mechanic Richard Turner. Why have I pictured myself sandwiched between these two? Because they are both inspiring examples of what can… — read more
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Obesity Redux: The RFL Results and complex Nature of Truth and Science
Back in April, I blogged about research published by Ryan Sorrell on the use of feedback-informed treatment in a telephonically-divered weight management program. The study, which appeared in the journal Disease Management*, not only found that the program and feedback led to weight loss, but also significant improvements in distress, health eating behaviors (70%), exercise (65%), and presenteeism on… — read more
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Feedback Informed Treatment: Update
Chicago, IL (USA) The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity here in Chicago. First, the "Advanced Intensive." Next came the annual "Training of Trainers." Each week, the room was filled to capacity with practitioners, researchers, supervisors, and agency directors from around the globe receiving in-depth training in feedback-informed practice. It was a… — read more
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The Revolution in Sweden: More Evidence and A Brief Follow Up
On May 13th, I blogged about a change in guidelines for clinical practice in Sweden. As in many other countries, CBT enjoyed near exclusive status as "evidence-based" on most official lists of approved treatments. Billions of Swedish crowns were spent on the approach that ultimately had no effect on the outcome of people treated… — read more
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A Lotta Help from One’s Friends: The Role of Community in the Pursuit of Excellence
Dateline: Chicago, IL USA Hard not to be impressed with the USA Women’s Gymnastic team. What skill, percision, expertise, and excellence. By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the interviews. In all instances, each and every one has focused on the team. Despite some in the media attempting to make stars out of the individual members,… — read more
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The DSM 5: Mental Health’s "Disappointingly Sorry Manual" (Fifth Edition)
Have you seen the results from the field trials for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual? The purpose of the research was to test the reliability of the diagnoses contained in the new edition. Reliable (ri-lahy-uh-buhl), meaning "trustworthy, dependable, consistent." Before looking at the data, consider the following question: what are the… — read more
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The International Center for Clinical Excellence: Using Social Networks for "Real Time" Research
The International Center for Clinical Excellence was officially lauched at the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference in December 2009. Since that time, membership has grown steadily. With over 3800 members, the ICCE is the largest, web-based community of behavioral health professionals dedicated to improving the quality and outcome of service delivery. The site features nearly… — read more
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More from Sweden
Three short weeks ago, I was in Stockholm, Sweden talking about "what works" in clinical practice. As I announced at the time, my visit coincided with an announcement by the organization governing mental health practice in the country. For the better part of a decade, CBT enjoyed near exclusive status as "evidence-based." Indeed, payment for… — read more
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Feedback Informed Treatment as Evidence-Based Practice
Back in November, I blogged about the ICCE application to SAMSHA’s National Registry for consideration of FIT as an official evidence-based approach (EBP). Given the definition of EBP by the Institute of Medicine and the American Psychological Association, Feedback Informed Treatment seems a perfect, well, FIT. According to the IOM and APA, evidence-based practice means… — read more
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Mental Health Practice in a Global Economy
Did you feel it? The seismic shift that occurred in field of mental health just a little over a month ago? No? Nothing? Well, in truth, it wasn’t so much a rip in the space-time continuum as a run. That "run," however, promises to forever alter the fabric of clinical practice–in particular how clinicians earn… — read more
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Is the "Summer of Love" Over? Positive Publication Bias Plagues Pharmaceutical Research
Evidence-based practice is only as good as the available "evidence"–and on this subject, research points to a continuing problem with both the methodology and type of studies that make it into the professional literature. Last week, PloS Medicine, a peer-reviewed, open access journal of the Public Library of Science, published a study showing a positive… — read more
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A Progress Report on the Science (and Art ) of Psychotherapy: The Psychotherapy Networker 30th Anniversary Edition
The 30th Anniversary Edition of the Psychotherapy Networker has hit newsstands. In it, is an article by Diane Cole taking the measure of psychotherapy. Her question? Has the field gotten any better over the last three decades? The entire issue is a "must read," starting with editor Rich Simon’s lengthy and thought provoking editorial, "Still… — read more
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NEWSFLASH: The Advanced Intensive and Training of Trainers in Feedback Informed Therapy (FIT)
Dateline: March 17th, 2012, Chicago, Illinois USA Barely a month ago, I announced the addition of a second "Advanced Intensive" (AI) course in Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT). The original March training filled really early this year and a long waiting list formed. Now the second Advanced Intensive training in FIT scheduled for July 30th through… — read more
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The Achieving Clinical Excellence Conference CALL FOR PAPERS
In October 2010, the first annual "Achieving Clinical Excellence" was held in Kansas City, Missouri. A capacity crowd joined leading experts on the subject of top performance for three days worth of training and inspiration. K. Anders Ericsson reviewed his groundbreaking research, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell and others. ICCE Director, Scott D. Miller translated the… — read more
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Implementation Science, FIT, and the Training of Trainers
The International Center for Clinical Excellence (ICCE) is pleased to announce the 6th annual Training of Trainers event to be held in Chicago, Illinois August 6th-10th, 2012. As always, the ICCE TOT prepares participants provide training, consultation, and supervision to therapists, agencies, and healthcare systems in Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT). Attendees leave the intensive, hands-on… — read more
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Is the Research on Feedback too Good to be True? Better to UPOD than OPUD!
It is a standard maxim of good business practice: Under Promise, Over Deliver (or UPOD). As my father used to say, "Do your best, and then a little better." Sadly, history shows that the field of behavioral health has followed a difference course: Over Promise, Under Deliver. The result? O, PUDs. The most gripping… — read more
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Goodbye Mr. & Ms. Know-it-All: Redefining Competence in the Era of Increasing Complexity
Every day behavioral health professionals make hundreds of decisions. As experts in the field, they meet and work successfully with diverse clients presenting an array of different difficulties. Available evidence indicates that the average person who receives care is better off than 80% of those with similar problems that do not. Outcomes in mental… — read more
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The New Average: Meeting the Need to Exceed
No matter where you look,good is no longer "good enough." In a recent article in the New York Times, author and trend watcher, Thomas L. Friedman, declared, "Average is Over." It’s an argument similar to the one made over a decade ago by Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, in his phenomenally… — read more
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Getting FIT: Another Opportunity
The March Advanced Intensive in Feedback Informed Treatment is full! Not a single space left. For several weeks, we put folks on a waiting list. When that reached nearly 20, we told most they’d probably have to wait until next year to attend. Wait no more! The ICCE is pleased to announce a second, "Advanced… — read more
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Excellence "Front and Center" at the Psychotherapy Networker Conference
This year, the Psychotherapy Networker is celebrating it’s 35th anniversary. I’m not going to let on how long I’ve been a reader and subscriber, but I can say that I eagerly anticipate each issue. Rich Simon and his incredibly dedicated and talented crew always seem to have their fingers on the pulse of the… — read more
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The Role of Mentors in the Development of Expertise: Bruce Wampold wins the Beckman Award Honoring Inspirational Professors
Saturday, January 7th, 2012, 7:00 pm EST The Carter Presidential Libary Atlanta, Georgia In 2008, the Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Trust Award was created to honor inspirational professors, academic faculty members who have inspired their students to "create an organization, concept, procedure, or movement which has demonsrably conferred a benefit on the community." This last week,… — read more
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What’s disturbing Mental Health? Opportunities Lost
In a word, paperwork. Take a look at the book pictured above. That massive tome on the left is the 2011 edition of "Laws and Regulations" governing mental health practice in the state of California. Talk about red tape! Hundreds and hundreds of pages of statutes informing, guiding, restricting, and regulating the "talking cure." Now,… — read more
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Optum Health and the ICCE: Partnering to Achieve Excellence in Behavioral Health
Monday, November 28th, 2011 Chicago, IL & Goldern Valley, MN The members, associaties, and directors of the International Center for Clinical Excellence are proud to announce a partnership with Optum Health’s Campaign for Excellence. Optum Health works with employers, payers, and providers serving nearly 60,000,000 people. Their "Campaign for Excellence (CFE)" was specifically designed to… — read more
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Cutting Edge Feedback
Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS Using feedback to guide and improve the quality and outcome of behavioral health services is growing in popularity. The number of systems available for measuring, aggregating, and interpreting the feedback provided by consumers is increasing. The question, of course, is, "which is best?" … — read more
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Feedback-Informed Treatment as Evidence-based Practice: APA, SAMSHA, and NREPP
What is evidence-based practice? Visit the UK-based NICE website, or talk to proponents of particular theoretical schools or therapeutic models, and they will tell you that being "evidence-based" means using the approach research has deemed effective for a particular diagnosis (e.g., CBT for depression, EMDR for trauma). Over the last two decades, numerous organizations and… — read more