Search

A brief characterization of transtheoretical stances to which existing approaches can be allocated is followed by a description of the "Bernese view", that is, what Klaus Grawe and his colleagues, including the authors of this article have developed: the origins, a model of the multiple constraint satisfaction construction of therapist action, a discussion of psychotherapy integration, the crucial role of supervisors in an integrative multiple constraint satisfaction approach, and a discussion of when and how trainees should be introduced to a transtheoretical stance., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Although in most countries psychotherapy trainings focus on one treatment orientation, such an approach is associated with systematic shortcomings. The priorities from teaching one theoretical framework should be moved to a more rigorous orientation in science and evidence-based practice, and to the needs of patients, even if strategies of different theoretical approaches need to be combined., Method: We discuss whether competence-based trainings in psychological treatments offer a better framework to facilitate the progress of psychological treatments to a professional academic discipline with transtheoretical exchange, and we provide an example of a transtheoretical education in the basic competences of psychological treatments. A transtheoretical education program requires an umbrella model for case formulation and a transtheoretical definition of intervention goals., Results: We provide an adaptation of the traditional model distinguishing vulnerability/resilience, exacerbation, and maintenance of clinical problems for case conceptualization. Dynamic network models offer a further perspective for developing modern, transtheoretical case formulations. Treatment methods should be better classified according to their transtheoretical goals, which offers opportunities to better compare or combine them. We report a case example of how to transform a general competence-based approach in the training of psychological treatments in the academic education system, which found exceptional acceptance from participating students., Conclusion: Thus, a rigorous competence-based approach to training early clinicians in applying psychological treatments helps to bridge the artificial divide between psychotherapeutic traditions. It also supports the evolution of psychological treatments into an academically robust and highly professional, integrative discipline., Competing Interests: Winfried Rief is an Editor-in-Chief for Clinical Psychology in Europe but played no editorial role in this particular article or intervened in any form in the peer review process.