IS IT TIME TO IMPROVE PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING

The practice of psychotherapy is a central activity for clinical psychologists. Accordingly, psychotherapy training is a fundamental part of clinical training programs. Yet there is a paucity of empirical information about the procedures and processes involved in psychotherapy training, and empirical evidence for the effectiveness of current practices is practically nonexistent. The literature on empirical evaluations of therapy training in general, and psychotherapy supervision in particular, is discussed. It is proposed that psychotherapy training can be improved by applying principles and methods from the area of the cognitive sciences concerned with the development and nature of generic expertise. To illustrate this application, a new instructional format, ''anchored instruction,'' is discussed as a method for providing psychotherapy students with a more thorough comprehension of therapy theories, principles, and procedures than is attainable with current teaching methods.