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What Makes a Master Therapist? An Integrative Approach

  • UCLA 300 Medical Plaza Driveway Los Angeles, CA, 90095 United States (map)

“What Makes a Master Therapist? An Integrative Approach”   
November 1, 2022
6:30pm-8:30pm 
Marisa Leif Conference Room,  #3200
300 Medical Plaza 
UCLA Medical Center

Presenters:
Erigoni Vlass
Tony Rousmaniere
Alexandre Vaz

Description of Presentation:
In 2015, psychotherapy researcher Michael Lambert discovered Erigoni Vlass, a therapist in Australia whose clients experienced positive change five times quicker, and deteriorations one third less frequently, than the average therapist.  Skeptical of her outcome data, Lambert performed a thorough analysis of Dr. Vlass’ caseload and confirmed that her patients experienced significantly more “sudden gains”and significantly fewer deteriorations.  Based on these findings, Lambert and colleagues gave Vlass the title of “supershrink”.

In this two-hour dinner lecture and discussion, participants will have the opportunity to meet Erigoni Vlass and learn about the clinical skills and methods that enable her to achieve the best outcomes ever reported in the peer-review literature.  The lecture will include:

  • A review of Vlass’ outcome data

  • The models of therapy Vlass uses with patients, including CBT, hypnosis, experiential and affect-focused models 

  • How Vlass makes extensive use of homework for patients

  • How Vlass maximizes patient engagement and therapist responsiveness

  • Vlass’ emphasis on “person of the therapist”

  • How therapists and supervisors can integrate lessons from Vlass’ work to improve outcomes with their clients and supervisees

This is an opportunity to further your understanding of achieving expert level psychotherapy outcomes from an integrative perspective, without adhering to any one, single, therapy model.  

Dinner buffet from Fresh Corn Grill, beer and wine served.

Please note that capacity is limited. 

Target Audience:  
• Psychiatry residents and faculty interested in psychotherapy
• Other allied mental health professionals

Learning Objectives
At the completion of the presentation, the learner will be able to: 

1. Identify three methods for improving clinical outcomes
2. Describe a method for collecting clinical outcome data 
3. Describe a method for using clinical outcome data in treatment

References:
1.   Hansen, B.P., Lambert, M.J., & Vlass, E.N. (2015). Sudden gains and sudden loses in the clients of a “supershrink”: 10 case studies. Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy, (11)3, 154-201

2.   Rousmaniere, T.G., Wright, C.V., Boswell, J., Constantino, M.J., Castonguay, L., McLeod, J., Pedulla, D., & Nordal, K. (2019). Keeping psychologists in the driver’s seat: Four perspectives on quality improvement and clinical data registries. Psychotherapy.

3. Swift, J.K., Callahan, J.L., Rousmaniere, T.G., Whipple, J. L., Dexter, K., & Wrape, E. R. (2015). Using client outcome monitoring as a tool for supervision. Psychotherapy, 52, 180-184.

Recommended Reading Materials (optional):
Rousmaniere, T. (2016). Deliberate Practice for Psychotherapists: A Guide to Improving Clinical Effectiveness.  New York, NY: Routledge Press (Taylor & Francis). ISBN-13: 978-1138203204

Rousmaniere, T., Goodyear, R., Miller, S.D., & Wampold, B.E. (2017). The Cycle of Excellence: Using Deliberate Practice to Improve Supervision and Training. London: Wiley Publishers.  ISBN-13: 978-1119165569

Presenters:  
Erigoni Vlass, PhD is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Sydney, Australia.  Dr. Vlass was identified in the peer-review literature as having superior clinical outcomes, as judged by the Outcome Questionnaire-45 (Hansen, Lambert & Vlass, 2015)

Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD is cofounder and Program Director of Sentio University and the Sentio Counseling Center.  He provides workshops, webinars, and advanced clinical training and supervision to clinicians around the world.  Dr. Rousmaniere is the author/co-editor of over a dozen books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training.  In 2017 he published the widely-cited article in The Atlantic Monthly, “What your therapist doesn’t know”. Dr. Rousmaniere supports the open-data movement and publishes his aggregated clinical outcome data, in de-identified form, on his website at www.drtonyr.com. Dr. Rousmaniere is President-Elect of Division 29 of the American Psychological Association (Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy).

Alexandre Vaz, PhD is cofounder and Chief Academic Officer of Sentio University and the Sentio Counseling Center. He provides workshops, webinars, and advanced clinical training and supervision to clinicians around the world. Dr. Vaz is the author/co-editor of over a dozen books on deliberate practice and psychotherapy training. He has held multiple committee roles for the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI) and the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR). Dr. Vaz is founder and host of “Psychotherapy Expert Talks,” an acclaimed interview series with distinguished psychotherapists and therapy researchers.

Accreditation
The Psychiatric Clinical Faculty Association (PCFA) is accredited by the California Medical Association (CMA) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the CMA. PCFA designates this activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  This activity meets the qualifications for 1.5 hours of continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.  For more information about the activity/activity schedule, objectives, instructor, target audience, pricing/refunds, obtaining CE documentation, special accommodations, or to express grievances, please contact Lela DeGolia at (310) 206-310-6335 or at ldegolia@mednet.ucla.edu.

Earlier Event: October 12
Meeting of the Executive Committee
Later Event: November 2
Meeting of the Executive Committee