Clinical training: challenges for a new millennium

It is a challenging and intimidating task to comment on the thoughts of several prominent leaders in the field of psychotherapy research and training. For many years I have turned to their scholarly writings for guidance, insight, and understanding. I have also urged my students to read their articles and books, to attend their presentations, and to listen carefully to the reports of these experts about the state of psychotherapy. In the present context Drs. Watkins and Guarnaccia have invited this impressive group of experts to offer their views on the direction in which psychotherapy training is moving and the particular implications of these trends for psychotherapy educators and training programs. To paraphrase the once popular television commercials about an American investment company, "When Levenson, Strupp, Mahrer, Boulet, and Beutler talk, people listen." When thinkers of this stature share their wisdom, I listen carefully, and I urge my colleagues who are involved in psychotherapy training to do the same. In my brief comments, I will discuss some of the challenges that we educators face and attempt to offer some recommendations that are based, in part, on the views of these contributors.