Master Therapists: Exploring Expertise in Therapy and Counseling

In this book the authors paint an elaborate portrait of expert or "master" therapists. The book contains extensive qualitative research from three doctoral dissertations and an additional research study conducted over a seven-year period on the same ten master therapists. This intensive research project on master therapists, those considered the "best of the best" by their colleagues is the most extensive research on high-level functioning of mental health professionals ever done. Research on experienced, let alone expert, therapists and counselors is extremely rare. Therapists and counselors can use the insights gained from this book as potential guidelines for use in their own professional development. Training programs can adopt this book in an effort to develop desirable characteristics in their trainees. Potential consumers of therapy and counseling may be better able to select a therapist with these desirable qualities.