2011

Accountability in counseling, outcome based research, and evidence-based practices are topics that have been discussed and debated for several decades (West & Warchal, 2009). The profession of counseling has been part of that discourse, often challenging what actually constitutes evidence-based practices. Despite this discourse there is concurrence that the counseling profession needs to demonstrate evidence-based research that identifies best practices (Sexton, Whiston, Bleuer, & Walz, 1997). A call for more evidence-based research surfaced in the Journal of Counseling and Development (JCD; Marotta & Watts, 2007). A number of best practices in counseling were identified including a set of “common factors” found to be essential to client change, despite one’s theoretical orientation. Findings of evidence-based practices however, have focused mainly on individual counseling approaches in an attempt to demonstrate best practices for specific client problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as an example is identified as the treatment of choice for a number of mental health disorders including anxiety and clinical depression. CBT and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are often cited as treatments for trauma, including posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD).