[suzzie]

to have too many specialties and therapy approaches.

I think having training in a lot of areas allows a therapist to be ecclectic, able to serve a variety of people. I have a LOT of areas that I get referrals for, it helps keep me "alive" in my field I think. One approach seems boring to me... It allows to have many different clients, and not try to cookie cut each client into one modality.

[stopdog]

Do you mean like jack of all trades but master of none?

Staffordshire Terrier

[2or3things]

I sometimes wonder about this myself. My T advertises in a number of places, and I feel like each ad I've seen is a little different. I mean, I get that they need to appeal to a broad audience, but sheesh!

And I also feel like she bills herself as doing X style of therapy or Y style--and I chose her, in part, based on one or two of the types her ads mentioned--but 3 years later I feel like her main approach isn't clearly informed by either of those traditions. Mostly I feel like she wants to watch me spin my wheels without saying much. Yuck! (But I guess maybe that's a thread I need to start for myself.)

[BlessedRhiannon]

I think it's important for a T to have many tools to choose from, as each client is different, and what works for one may not work for another. At the same time, I think it's important that they have some sort of over-arching philosophy for their treatment style. So, I guess it's possible to have too many specialties or approaches, but only if you can't tie them together with some sort of overall framework. If a T is just learning all sorts of different approaches and applying them willy-nilly, then I can't see how that would be useful. If a T is knowledgeable about multiple therapy models, and can say "for x issue, I typically start with y approach, but if that doesn't work, I'm comfortable using a, b, or c approach" then I think it's a good thing for them to be familiar with many different therapy models to best help their clients.

I think maybe it's possible for them to do too many - if those types of therapy conflict or contradict each other, or if like Stopdog suggests, they are a 'jack of all trades'... But I like that my T uses an eclectic approach, and that I feel she tailors our sessions to suit me and my needs at the time, rather than using a set method and expecting me to comply... If that makes sense! I think it also shows an open-mindedness...

[suzzie]

thank you!

im seeing a new t tomorrow. and was just wondering.

[PreacherHeckler]

Yes, it is possible for a T to be too eclectic. I read an article a few years ago -- might have been written by John Norcross, author of "Handbook of Psychotherapy Integration" but I'm not sure anymore -- anyway the article stated that some T's who define themselves as eclectic come across as less skilled and more unsure of themselves because they borrow from too many approaches and never give a single approach enough time to really assess its effectiveness. This can lead to too much inconsistency in treatment, which can cause or exacerbate existing issues with anxiety and trust because the patient never knows what to expect next from the T.

[Eliza Jane]

I think the issue is less that he is specialized in many things than he may THINK he is a expert in everything. Arrogance rubs me the wrong way. This is a profession where humility is essential.

EJ

[Perna]

I don't think so. People are complex and how they understand a problem and what works for them will be different from what works for another so having as many ways to look at a problem as "necessary" for a client could be helpful. Of course, if a therapist isn't a very good therapist, doesn't know themselves or have much experience, then all the book knowledge in the world isn't going to help them.

[CantExplain]

I think it's like any other field of endeavour.

Stick to a consistent technique - except when it stops working!
Then you have to be flexible enough to try something else.