In September of 2011 Time Magazine interviewed outspoken cognitive therapist Allan Kazdin, a former President of the American Psychological Association. In the interview, Kazdin calls for the end of individualized treatments in psychotherapy — even if people want them — in favor of standarized treatments.
New Existentialist Eugene Taylor wrote a response, noting that Kazdin misunderstands both the history of psychotherapy and its practice. “His attitude is that only those who are in control of the system know what is best for you and can cure you,” Taylor writes. “Our position as Existential-Humanisic psychologists is that you cannot cure a broken heart with a paper-and-pencil test.”
We’ve recently received a copy of this paper, and you can read it here.