The Norway Couple Project: Lessons Learned

Couple therapists in routine practice may find it difficult to apply findings from an increasingly expanding and complex body of couple therapy research. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised that competency in evidence-based treatments is insufficient to inform many practice decisions or ensure positive treatment outcomes (American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice, American Psychologist, 2006, 271). This article aims to narrow the research/practice gap in couple therapy. Results from a large, randomized naturalistic couple trial (Anker, Duncan, & Sparks, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2009, 693) and four companion studies are translated into specific guidelines for routine, eclectic practice. Client feedback, the therapeutic alliance, couple goals assessment, and therapist experience in couple therapy provide a research-informed template for improving couple therapy outcomes.