DeepSummary
The episode begins with an introduction of the guest, Dr. Linda Michaels, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network, a nonprofit advocating for quality therapy. The host expresses interest in discussing Michaels' new book and the research her group conducted on understanding what people want from therapy.
Michaels explains that their motivation for the research was to counteract the influences of industries like insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, which often prioritize cost-cutting and promoting medications over providing effective therapy. Their study involved both qualitative interviews and a large-scale quantitative survey, leveraging techniques from the corporate world to gather insights from the general public.
The key findings from the study revealed that the majority of people desire therapy that helps them understand themselves and get to the root of their issues, even if it takes longer. They value therapies focused on depth, insight, and relationship-building. Michaels and her colleagues have aimed to bridge the gap between what the public wants and what therapists can offer through effective communication and education.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The study conducted by the Psychotherapy Action Network found that the majority of people desire therapies focused on depth, insight, and building a strong therapeutic relationship, even if it takes longer, countering the influences of industries that prioritize cost-cutting and quick fixes.
- People want therapy that helps them understand themselves and get to the root of their issues, rather than just managing symptoms or addressing surface-level issues.
- The therapeutic relationship is crucial, and people should prioritize finding a therapist they feel comfortable with, can open up to, and trust.
- There is a need to educate the public about the benefits of depth-oriented therapies and what to look for in a therapist, rather than solely focusing on specific treatment protocols or diagnoses.
- Effective communication and bridging the gap between what the public wants and what therapists can offer is essential for improving mental health care.
- The research leveraged techniques from the corporate world, such as qualitative interviews and large-scale quantitative surveys, to gather insights from the general public.
- The study aimed to counteract the influences of industries like insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, which often prioritize cost-cutting and promoting medications over providing effective therapy.
- The findings suggest that there is a disconnect between what the public wants and what is often portrayed or offered in the mental health care system.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “And when we just asked people, what do you want? I mean, it was kind of amazing because their answers really centered on the things that the benefits you can really get from adept therapy. They said, the majority of people said the main goal of therapy for them is to better understand themselves and get to the root of their issues.“ by Linda Michaels
- “We were very surprised that a number of the things that came out of the study, actually, from the public's perspective, aligned really well with what depth therapy can offer them.“ by Linda Michaels
- “If we could do anything, it would be to educate the public that you should be looking for someone you feel comfortable with, that you can open up to, that you can trust, that you think is deeply listening to you, that you can have a really rich relationship with. That's what you should be looking for. More so than, you know. Have you done, you know, protocols in treating people with Gad or something like that?“ by Linda Michaels
Entities
Organization
Publication
Law
Person
Book
Tv show
Legal case
Therapy
Episode Information
Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast
David Puder, M.D.
3/15/24
Therapies of depth, insight, and relationship have been missing from, if not pushed out of, the public conversation on mental health treatment. After decades of attack from multiple fronts, these therapies are misunderstood, undervalued, and overlooked by the general public. In order to address this challenge and change this trajectory, we must start by listening to the public and understand their needs, values, and preferences about therapy. Dr. Linda Michaels and colleagues conducted an extensive research project, leveraging qualitative and quantitative tools and techniques widely used in the corporate world, focused on “listening” to the public and understanding what people want and need from therapy.
Linda Michaels, PsyD, MBA, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Chicago. She is also chair and co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), a non-profit that advocates for quality therapy.
Link to blog here.