The empirically supported treatment debate (emerging from the empirically validated treatments) has been a vitally important issue for the future of depth psychotherapy. Emerging from this debate has been the development of the empirically supported principles and empirically supported relationship movements. These debates in the professional literature have evolved to often vehement discussions about which approaches to therapy are appropriate. Recently, the zeitgeist has moved from empirically supported treatments to evidence based practice. However, what this mean is still in development. However, as Ron Levant (2005) pointed out, evidence based practice is still being defined. If we are not careful, it could be defined as narrowly as empirically validated treatments. It is vital that depth therapist enter these dialogues thoughtful.

     This purpose of this section is to promote continued discussion about these important issues. While we encourage various positions and papers from various perspectives, it is our hope that these papers promote a collaborative approach. This section is not intended to be an attack on the brief or solution-focused therapies (generally associated with the empirically supported treatments), but rather a space for discussion about the place, the value, and the differences of the various approaches to therapy. In other words, we hope to promote an increased collaboration between solution focused therapy and depth psychotherapy while maintaining respect for the important differences between these approaches.

     We are currently seek professional papers/articles, book reviews, and web articles on this topic. Please visit our submission guidelines section of the web site for more information on how to contribute a paper.

Levant, R. (2005, February). Evidence-based practice in psychology. Monitor on Psychology, 36.