Processes of Change: Integrating Relationality with Cognitive-Behavioral and Acceptance Constructs

Over recent decades, the clinical psychology field as a whole has increasingly emphasized treatment manuals and distillation of evidence-based practices down to specific, standardized procedures. While this approach has proven successful in reducing symptoms, we argue that it is vital to remain vigilant to the social and relational context that humans exist in, for both clients and therapists. The focus on relationships and connections amongst people must remain a central focus in order for the field to progress. This can be embedded into treatment in the context of existing integrated models, such as process-based therapy. We propose a road map for considering environmental context, relationships, the whole self of the client and therapist, and the focus on treatment targets and outcomes.