A Survey of Practicing Psychotherapists

Abstract

A survey was taken of licensed professional counselors and psychologists in Texas. Their attitudes on managed care, Internet therapy, and their professional therapeutic orientations were addressed. The majority of both types of practitioners had a negative opinion of managed care and indicated that it had adversely impacted the way that they provided counseling services (e.g., limiting the number of sessions). The majority of both types of practitioners felt that Internet counseling will have a negative impact on counseling or psychology and that Internet counseling can neither be provided in an effective nor ethical way. The most popular therapeutic orientation is eclecticism or the blending of multiple therapeutic approaches. However, different therapists define “eclecticism” in different ways. Following eclecticism, the most commonly reported orientation was cognitive-behavioral therapy. With experience, therapists often change their orientation, but there was not a significant change towards or away from a particular orientation.