History & Evolution of the Field
The art and science of therapy are ever-evolving. Some therapeutic approaches have staying power, some fade away, and some remain obscure but beloved by those who practice them. What can we learn from our past mistakes as a field? What opportunities are emerging from the latest research and advances? These articles explore the advances, critiques, and turning points across the history of our field. They examine topics from the impact of technology and AI on therapy to perspectives on the DSM and diagnoses. Discover what our field's thought leaders believe about where we've been and where we're heading. Learn from Bessel van der Kolk, Dan Siegel, John Gottman, Janina Fisher, Terry Real, Cloe Madanes, Salvador Minuchin, Esther Perel, and others as they share their evolving ideas and perspectives on psychology's past, present, and future.
How the False Memory Debate Rewrote the Rules of Practice
Facing a Dark Chapter in Psychotherapy's HistoryCritiques & Turning Points
The field of psychotherapy continually evolves through self-examination, critique, and paradigm shifts. From questioning diagnostic frameworks to addressing venture capital's impact on mental health care, our profession continues to examine its own identity, effectiveness, and ethics. Understanding past turning points, and the controversies shaping our future, helps therapists navigate change while identifying and remaining committed to their own core values. These articles explore psychotherapy's past identity crises, neglect of therapist mental health, insurance coverage challenges, and ongoing debates in the field. Learn from William Doherty, Janina Fisher, Dan Seigel, Bessel van der Kolk, John Gottman, Salvador Minuchin, and others about where our field has been and where it's heading.
Perspectives on the DSM & Diagnoses
The DSM has long been our most influential and controversial diagnostic tool. Critics argue that it pushes us to pathologize normal human experiences, while supporters maintain that diagnostic frameworks are essential for treatment and research. Understanding the ongoing debates around its benefits and shortcomings helps therapists use diagnoses thoughtfully rather than allowing labels to oversimplify the complexity of human experience. These articles explore the DSM's evolution, controversial diagnoses, and far-reaching impacts on the field. And they also document the history, controversy, and benefits around certain diagnoses. Learn from Allen Frances, Mona Delahooke, Frank Anderson, and others about successfully navigating the tension between useful categorization and harmful pathologization.
Science & Research
Evidence-based practice requires therapists to stay current with evolving research while maintaining a healthy skepticism about therapeutic fads. Examining the science of what really works in therapy, from common client factors to the qualities of exceptional clinicians, helps us refine our craft and deliver better outcomes. These articles explore the studies and research that shape our understanding of the science of psychotherapy. Discover effectiveness research, common factors for change, and other evidence-based insights from Scott Miller, Scott Lilienfeld, and others.
Technology & AI in Therapy
Artificial intelligence, teletherapy, and other digital tools are rapidly reshaping therapeutic practice. From AI chatbots offering mental health support to AI-generated session notes, technology presents both opportunities and challenges. Understanding how to integrate these tools thoughtfully has become essential for modern practitioners navigating an increasingly digital landscape. These articles explore AI in therapy, teletherapy effectiveness, virtual reality applications for trauma and anxiety, and much more. Discover how technology is transforming therapeutic practice and what it takes to keep human connection at the center of our field.
Therapy's Thought Leaders
Our field's most influential voices have shaped how we understand therapeutic change, human connection, and the art of presence. From pioneers who revolutionized couples therapy to existentialists exploring mortality and meaning, the thought leaders here offer wisdom that transcends modality. Their insights continue to inspire and challenge practitioners seeking depth in their work. These articles feature reflections from, and tributes to, influential figures including Sue Johnson, Bessel van der Kolk, Esther Perel, Irv Yalom, Salvador Minuchin, Dick Schwartz, and others. Learn more from contributors who have fundamentally shaped contemporary psychotherapy practice and philosophy.
The reason people find Orna Guralnik so compelling isn’t the stylish clothes, her trendy office décor, or fancy camera work. It’s something else entirely. Read more
What if clients had a way to stay connected to therapy between sessions? AI could be a way to reinforce what therapists are already doing. Read more
Across all our therapeutic modalities, there are elements that most effectively create change. What do these elements have in common, and how can you integrate... Read more
A fantastical journey leads an overwhelmed clinician to unexpected interactions with some of our field's leading luminaries, including Ramani Durvasula, Terry... Read more
Multiple studies now demonstrate that AI can evoke real emotional responses, and in some contexts, even outperform human support. Read more
When it comes to processing work-related trauma, therapists are often isolated, shamed, and hamstrung by the guidelines meant to protect clients. Read more
Mental health professionals receive little support for their own personal healing and development. What will it take to revolutionize training programs in a... Read more
What is deepfake therapy, how can impact therapist's work, and why are clinicians so torn about whether or not it can help clients? Read more
Therapists make space for our sorrow, joy, confusion, and longing. But what if AI can do some of this better? Read more
Tara Brach, Irvin Yalom, Eugene Gendlin, and Daniel Kahneman share answers to some of the biggest, most slippery questions therapists face. Read more
Four thought-leaders take stock of the shifting contours of our field. Read more
Mental health startups were supposed to democratize therapy. Instead, they've cut therapist pay and gutted clinical teams. How can we fight back? Read more
After a moment of crisis, ACT co-founder Steven Hayes began tearing up the floorboards of our most popular diagnostic frameworks—and what he discovered was... Read more
Are we doing enough as clinicians—and as a field—to ensure we’re using truly science-based treatments? Read more
For clients wary of traditional forms of creative expression, using AI art therapeutically offers a novel way to experience a more accessible, visual, and... Read more
These hot takes from Steve Hayes, Nadine Burke Harris, Ruth Lanius, and others will keep you informed and prepared for what's changing in the field of... Read more
Sue Johnson changed the field, creating a ripple effect of healing that continues to transform countless relationships. In a mosaic of anecdotes drawn from the... Read more
Psychotherapy Networker honors the memory of Sue Johnson, EFT and EFIT pioneer, with highlights from her trailblazing career. Read more
Modern psychoanalysts are breaking free of old tropes, helping diverse clients and communities—and they still believe change takes time. Read more
Will people really turn to a human if a “humanly enough” chatbot is available? What if human-to-human therapy becomes accessible only to a privileged few? Read more
What happens when AI enters the therapy room? Therapist influencer Matthias Barker chats with Networker editor in chief Livia Kent. Read more
A clinician on the precipice of launching his own AI therapy bot—HIPAA-compliant, infused with personal warmth, and based on thousands of hours of therapy... Read more
When it comes down to it, what do human therapists really have over artificially intelligent ones? Read more
AI is already being used to create treatment plans, track client change, and detect empathy. How else could it help therapists? Read more
There’s a big, hairy problem shadowing our field: what, exactly, is a mental disorder? Is using diagnostic language helping or hurting our clients? The way... Read more
By obscuring the truth about kids’ adaptive responses to stress, the ODD diagnosis interferes with genuine solutions and effective treatment. Read more
Take a magical journey beyond the DSM’s pathologizing legacy to a place where therapists can name and categorize suffering, while still taking into account... Read more
Although people might benefit from the sense of certainty that accompanies a self-diagnosis, it can also mislead them into embracing a fixed—or even a... Read more
A lot can go awry when you identify a person with a disorder—but avoiding diagnosis altogether isn’t always the right solution either. How are therapists... Read more
How can Individualized Education Plans, which often involve therapists, better ensure that students with disabilities get a fair and proper education? Read more
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