Choose The Best Theory of Change

The people who research such things as how people change and how effective different methods of Helping are were surprised recently. They looked at the various Counseling and Helping Models and set up elaborate ways to see which was most effective. 

I will not bore you with the ways they tried to make sure each Helping Theory was tested and compared because it is not important. However, it is important to know that the researchers were interested in the results from theory to theory.

The Kinds of Theories that have been Tested:

Client Centered
Behavioral
Cognitive
Family Systems
Integrity
Solution
Freud
Jung

One of the most popular ways to describe a Psychological Theory today is by using term
Best Practices. That means that the theory the Professional is using has been approved by someone as the Best Way to treat and problem.

When I read the literature there are often references to a theory that has been debunked or that has proven to be a Best Practice.  The state of California recently passed a law forbidding Therapists from practicing Conversion Therapy with gay youth because it has been debunked. This is false.

When the major theories of treatment were compared, none was really a Best Practice. None was clearly superior to the others. And, none was clearly inferior or debunked.