Deliberating Practice: Deconstructing Psychotherapy for a Better Future

Glenn and Richard are joined by Derek Weiss, an AI enthusiast and psychotherapy client, to discuss the encroachment of AI into the space of counselling, psychotherapy, and the mental health field. The trio discuss some of the innovations that AI has brought to the field and their potential consequences, for better or for worse, for therapists and clients alike.

*Video starts at 01:23* Glenn and Richard are joined by Dr. Zachary Walsh, Clinical Psychologist and Faculty from UBC to discuss research and practice of Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy, the state of the field currently, criticisms, safety, and the hope for a more equitable and accessible future to this potentially transformative medicine.

Zachary Walsh, PhD is a Professor in the UBC (University of British Columbia) Department of Psychology. He attended the University of Winnipeg as an undergraduate, received a PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2008 from the Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University, and completed a clinical internship and a research fellowship at the Brown University Centre for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Dr. Walsh is a registered clinical psychologist whose research has been supported by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Health Canada, BC Interior Health Authority, the Peter Wall Endowment, and the American Psychological Association. (https://psych.ok.ubc.ca/about/contact/zach-walsh/)

Glenn and Richard are joined by Dr. Avraham Cohen, a psychotherapist, researcher and educator based in Vancouver, to discuss his experience in the field of psychotherapy and thoughts on the state of the field today. Glenn and Richard engage Avraham around his humanistic orientation to explore the critical potentialities of this movement and tease out a meaningful framing for contemporary practice.

Avraham's website: https://dravrahamcohen.com/

Richard and Glenn continue their exploration of the Great Psychotherapy Debate, focusing in this episode on the work of Scott Miller. Scott's contributions to the debate include a shift from privileging modality to a focus on interpersonal effectiveness, highlight the importance of consistent deliberate practice to enhance effectiveness, and the need to consistently seek feedback from the clients we serve. Glenn and Richard discuss the pros and cons of Scott's contributions.

In this episode, Glenn and Richard discuss trauma, a central concept in the psychotherapy landscape. They explore the history of trauma, its contemporary definitions and framing, and deconstruct the space of trauma, emphasizing a return to the subjectivity of the client. This episode incorporates the work of Mark Epstein (The Trauma of Everyday Life) and Donald Kalsched (The Inner World of Trauma, Trauma and the Soul) to resituate the discussion of trauma around inner psychological dynamics. Trauma is emphasized as inescapable and essential in human life, and as sometimes affording the possibility of growth.

In this episode Richard and Glenn discuss the work of critical psychotherapist Del Loewenthal and topics of concern that extend from his theorizing.

Dels' book: Critical Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis, and Counselling: Implications for Practice https://www.amazon.co.uk/Critical-Psychotherapy-Psychoanalysis-Counselling-Implications/dp/1137460571/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544454474&sr=8-1&keywords=Critical+Psychotherapy%2C+Psychoanalysis+and+Counselling%3A+Implications+for+practice

Richard and Glenn are joined by SFU graduate student Anthony to discuss the book Constructing the Self, Constructing America by Philip Cushman. Cushman advances the argument that psychotherapy is a cultural activity and cannot be fully understood outside of the culture of consumer capitalism. The speakers discuss Cushman's wide perspective on psychotherapy and its implications for contemporary practice.

Glenn and Richard discuss money's influence on the practice of counselling and psychotherapy. Exploring perspectives from both seats in the office, they discuss therapist's vulnerability to money through their altruism and greed.

Richard and Glenn are joined by friend and colleague Emma to discuss relational psychotherapy. Drawing on the work of psychodynamic practitioner Teri Quatman, they discuss the risks and rewards of this type of approach. Personal examples are used to explore the complexities of relational process.

Teri Quatman's book Essential Psychodynamic Psychotheray: An acquired art- https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-18487-000

In this episode, hosts Glenn and Richard delve into the ongoing controversy in psychotherapy research. They discuss Bruce Wompold's contextual model, which highlights common factors in psychotherapy effectiveness, and Jonathan Shedler’s critiques of current research methodologies, especially short-term and manualized treatments. Shedler advocates for the importance of long-term, depth-oriented therapies and questions the reliance on randomized controlled trials and symptom reduction metrics. The episode touches on issues of client choice and informed consent, encouraging a profound reevaluation of psychotherapy research. Listeners are invited to engage, share their perspectives, and contribute to this critical debate.

Link to the debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i10h6bLX_LI&t=1316s