Thomas M. Skovholt

University of Minnesota Twin Cities | UMN · Department of Educational Psychology

Despite its critical role in successful counseling, case conceptualization has received less attention in group counseling than in individual counseling. The current research examined what information is considered important in group case conceptualizations by interviewing 12 master counselors in group counseling. Interview data were analyzed by us...

Abstract Background: This article presents key findings of two major empirical studies of psy- chotherapist and counsellor development. Both aimed to advance knowledge of vari- ations in professional development and better understand the complexity of formative influences. Methodology: The Minnesota Study of Therapist and Counsellor Development and...

Responding to calls for international psychotherapy research, a qualitative meta-analysis (QMA) exploring the essential qualities of master therapists from a global perspective was conducted on seven master therapist studies from the United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Portugal, Singapore, Japan, and Korea. Based on the analysis of 111 themes, w...

Research suggests that characteristics and attitudes of the therapist may be a significant contributor to psychotherapy outcome. Researchers using both quantitative and qualitative methods have explored the characteristics of expert practitioners. This chapter provides an overview of the literature on therapist variables and master therapists, desc...

Personal characteristics, developmental influences, and therapy practices of nine peer-nominated expert psychotherapists practicing in the diverse country of Singapore were identified using qualitative methods. Sixteen themes were organized within four categories: (1) personal characteristics (empathic, nonjudgmental, and respectful), (2) developme...

The study of expertise has a long and textured history, and it continues to be an active area of research among researchers and practitioners interested in human performance, giftedness, and achievement. In this chapter, Skovholt, Hanson, Jennings and Grier examine the broad and complicated topic of expertise.

Nine psychotherapists previously identified as master therapists through a peer nomination process participated in qualitative interviews. Interview questions were designed to elicit information pertaining to emotional wellness and professional resiliency. Each interview was audiotaped and transcribed. A qualitative analysis of the transcripts was...

In chapter two, Skovholt, Hanson, Jennings, and Grier summarize the literature on the prevailing view of expertise in therapy and counseling. The authors explore whether it is possible to achieve expertise in such an “ill-structured” field with its ambiguous and subjective interpretations. The authors review studies that provide some evidence for c...

Skovholt, Jennings, and Mullenbach summarize and integrate data from all four qualitative studies and offer pathways to expertise taken by the ten master therapists, culminating with a portrait of the master therapist. The portrait includes central characteristics, paradoxical characteristics, eight overall themes, and a major expansion of the Cogn...

Qualitative research methods were used to elicit master therapists' statements regarding their use and understanding of the therapy relationship. The master therapists were identified and recruited in a previous study (Jennings & Skovholt, 1999) through a procedure used to create a sample of information-rich cases. The result of the analysis is a M...

This cyclical-trajectories model of therapist and counselor development presents practitioners` movements through trajectories when encountering difficulties and challenges in their professional work. The model highlights the role of reflection (reflection-pre-action, reflection-in-action, reflection-on-action) and the ways that the reflection proc...

An international team of Singaporean and American researchers conducted a qualitative investigation of the multicultural competencies of Singaporean master therapists. Six Singaporean master therapists, previously studied and identified through an extensive peer nomination sampling procedure (Jennings et al., 2008), were re-interviewed to explore h...

The goal of this article is to introduce the many guides that serve as our knowledge base in the helping professions. Practitioners work with the complexity of human emotion, thought, and variability, which at times makes the work confusing. In order to deal with the confusion, the practitioner attends many years of school and intensive practical e...

Reviews the book, Their finest hour: Master therapists share their greatest success stories edited by Jeffrey Kottler and Jon Carlson (see record 2008-05761-000 ). This book is timely and reflective of current trends, dilemmas, and tensions in the therapy and counseling professions. One tension concerns epistemology. This book promotes the type of...

Personal characteristics, developmental influences, and therapy practices of nine peer-nominated expert psychotherapists practicing in the diverse country of Singapore were identified using qualitative methods. Sixteen themes were organized within four categories: (a) personal characteristics (empathic, nonjudgmental, respectful); (b) developmental...

This article describes the Minnesota International Counseling Institute, a biennial counseling institute created by faculty in the University of Minnesotas Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology Program. One hundred and fifty-two international counseling personnel from 40 countries have participated in the Minnesota International Counseling In...

Qualitative research methods were used to elicit master therapists' statements regarding their use and understanding of the therapy relationship. The master therapists were identified and recruited in a previous study (Jennings & Skovholt, 1999) through a procedure used to create a sample of information-rich cases.The result of the analysis is a Mo...

As one of the great inventions of the last half of the 20th century, counseling offers great hope and promise. Yet for counseling practitioners, within this hope and promise, there is confusion about how to help and what constitutes mastery and expertise. It is like being in a fog and searching for mastery. And it matters because the counselor's co...

The study of expertise has a long and textured history, and it continues to be an active area of research among researchers and practitioners interested in human performance, giftedness, and achievement. In this literature review, we explore the concept of expertise across disciplines to gain a better understanding of the common elements of experti...

Objective: To describe mental health professionals' self-reported competence when working with clients with disabilities. Study Design: Survey administered with a measure of social desirability. Participants and Setting: One hundred eight professionals in counseling offices, disability services offices, and doctoral counseling programs. Main Outcom...

This study examined African American adolescents' perceived parent support for the four sources of self-efficacy information hypothesized by Bandura and for their efficacy in four areas: career planning and exploration, knowledge of self and others, career decision-making, and school-to-career transitions. Results indicate that the primary predicto...

This book explores expertise in therapy and counseling. This book consists of four research studies of a group of ten master therapists who were selected for mastery by their professional peers. These are working masters, not famous one who write and teach more than practice. The sample group studies here represent seasoned therapists drawing upon...

This article summarizes a reformulation of the main findings and perspectives from a cross-sectional and longitudinal qualitative study of the development of 100 counselors and therapists. The results are presented as a phase model and as a formulation of 14 themes of counselor/therapist development. The following six phases are described: The phas...

Expertise in counseling and therapy is both desirable and elusive. Increasing our knowledge about expertise in counseling and therapy enhances understanding of the role it plays in our profession. This understanding has the potential to improve the training of counselors and therapists. Yet expertise in counseling and therapy appears to be a multif...

This two-stage research project began with a survey designed to learn about the counseling needs of Middle East Technical University students (METU). Specifically, 599 students were surveyed with the Students Needs Assessment Survey. The results showed significant differences in counseling needs of students with respect to GPA, gender and age. Howe...

What can senior practitioners teach other practitioners about learning arenas for professional development? Four primary learning arenas were identified after a qualitative inquiry of 12 psychotherapists, averaging 74 years in age. The 4 learning arenas are early life experience, cumulative professional experience, interaction with professional eld...

Balancing self-care and other-care is often a struggle for career counselors and others in the helping professions. The process of caring is made up of a constant series of empathic attachments, active involvements, and felt separations. The ability to continually engage in “the caring cycle” is important for success. However, the constant need to...

Cognitive, emotional, and relational characteristics among 10 peer-nominated master therapists were identified through qualitative research methods. Results suggest that master therapists (a) are voracious learners; (b) draw heavily on accumulated experiences; (c) value cognitive complexity and ambiguity; (d) are emotionally receptive; (e) are ment...

Sixteen licensed psychologists who lived and practiced in rural areas and small communities participated in interviews about ethical dilemmas they faced in daily practice. Dilemmas involving professional boundaries were identified as significant concerns for all of the psychologists. Major themes were the reality of overlapping business relationshi...

Sixteen licensed psychologists who lived and practiced in rural areas and small communities participated in interviews about ethical dilemmas they faced in daily practice. Dilemmas involving professional boundaries were identified as significant concerns for all of the psychologists. Major themes were the reality of overlapping business relationshi...

The expertise literature within cognitive science has provided a rich series of ideas which can be used to improve applied practice. The authors of the articles in this special issue have taken many of these ideas and made useful elaborations and extensions. In reaction to the articles, we suggest five blocks to a full utilization of the expertise...

Die aktuelle empirische und konzeptualisierende Forschung zeigt, daß die Supervision die zentrale Rolle, die sie sowohl für Supervisoren als auch für Supervisanden in der beruflichen Entwicklung von Psychotherapeuten innehat, in jedem Fall verdient. Wir gehen in diesem Beitrag darauf ein, daß es unterschiedliche Supervisionsmethoden und Schwerpunkt...

Reports on violence prevention in an inner-city middle school. Interviews of students, deemed by peers and teachers as good at managing conflict, revealed eight themes. For example, student experts inoculated themselves in attitude to avoid violence; de-escalated situations when provoked; and believed the cost of fighting exceeds the reward. (RJM)

This book explores the development of therapists and counselors over their career lifespan in order to demonstrate their professional competence and evolution. The book is based on 160 intensive interviews with 100 practitioners. These interviews provide the data for the construction of an eight stage career model: conventional, transition to profe...

Discusses supervision for beginning and advanced graduate students of counseling and psychotherapy. Early-level supervision is characterized by high levels of structure, a didactic orientation, and a skill focus. For the beginning student, the importance of anxiety and the hazards of modeling are emphasized. Supervision of advanced students is char...

This study focused on therapist-counselor development. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 100 participants served as the data-gathering method. Data from this study were first used to develop a stage model. Then, 20 themes of therapist-counselor development were extracted from the 120 pages of narrative stage data. The themes were extracted...

Presents interview with Thomas Bouchard, a leading researcher of identical twins reared apart. Describes major themes in the Minnesota twin research. Claims, although genetic influence is central, Bouchard pleas for the impact of environmental factors in optimal human development. Includes Bouchard's surprising experiences, current focus, and plans...

Survey results of 155 junior and senior high school counselors from different school types indicate that there was greater similarity than difference in the way Ss perceived their functions. Differences are examined in relation to expectations set forth in professional guidelines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Discusses literature, techniques, and controversies in the use of mental imagery in career counseling and life planning. It is argued that daydreams and fantasies may help individuals contemplate new possibilities, try out new options, and make more informed life-planning decisions. There is research support for the use of mental imagery as a caree...

Presents 58 personal accounts of the impact of direct experience on counselor development. The accounts of critical incidents in the authors' development as counselors are grouped into 11 categories: clients as teachers, counselors as clients, counselor disillusionment and vulnerability, cross-cultural lessons, finding a counseling niche, lessons f...

The cross-cultural context provides an opportunity to practice highly skilled perspective taking, an occupational necessity for counselors. It also teaches one about American culture, because at home one cannot "see the forest for the trees." In addition, the Fulbright program is an excellent choice for counseling psychologists because its value ba...

In three studies we investigated denial and related concepts ('phenomena of make believe’, ‘psychic numbing’, ‘blotting out the idea’ and ‘veil of denial') as the predominant human psychological responses to the nuclear war threat. We found support for this assertion within the subjects’ emotional reactions of overwhelming fear and sadness. To redu...

Tested the relationship between spouse personality congruence based on J. L. Holland's (1984) typology and marital satisfaction. Holland's congruence principle is based on the notion that most people can be grouped in various combinations of 6 basic types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. The 6 types are a...

Used presentations at Division 17 programs of the American Psychological Association conventions, affiliations of authors of articles in the Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist, and Division 17 leaders to determine that the University of Maryland (College Park), Ohio State University, and the University of Iowa were t...

• Used presentations at Division 17 programs of the American Psychological Association conventions, affiliations of authors of articles in the Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist, and Division 17 leaders to determine that the University of Maryland (College Park), Ohio State University, and the University of Iowa were t...

Discusses how Holland's typology of personality styles and person-environment interaction can serve as a framework for increasing adult male use of mental health services. Suggests counseling techniques which may be more suitable for males having a realistic personality style. (Author)

Conducted two 8-week behavioral self-control weight reduction groups to investigate the relationship between locus of control and success at weight reduction (N = 49 female Ss). Mean weight losses were significant at post-treatment and after a 3-month and 18-month follow-up. There was no significant difference in weight loss between internals and e...

Describes a multidimensional method of weight treatment that includes stimulus control techniques, assertion training, the development of responses that compete with eating, the use of successful coping models, altering private speech, and a positive environmental support system. Equally important is the development of an exercise program that prod...

Views the recent changes in gender roles as reflections of changing societal needs for optimal evolution of the species. Reproduction is now less desirable than in the past due to overpopulation. Physical strength, which traditionally separated men and women, is relatively obsolete as an important role requirement. The realignment of gender roles r...

The way a society sculptures sex roles is extremely crucial for the optimal development of its members. A variety of forces have coalesced to restructure traditional sex roles in industrialtechnological- bureaucratic societies. The symmetry option suggests that the restructuring will mean more balance in love and work roles in the lives of men and...

Suggests that private experience, fantasy and daydreams, may be a rich source for career counseling intervention. Recent personality research suggests that fantasy and daydreams are positive and life enhancing. Although fantasy and daydreams have been used productively in psychotherapy and personal counseling, there has been a minimal use of privat...

Deliberate Psychological Education is an emerging method for delivering psychological services. The focus is educational and preventive and the aim is to increase personal learning and psychological competence via educational experiences that integrate intellectual, conceptual knowledge with affective, personal knowledge. A number of psychological...

Argues that an individual with a problem can often be helped if he is put in a helping role. Helper therapy is the principle behind Alcoholics Anonymous and the Foster Grandparents Program. There is no loss in the therapeutic transaction: both parties gain, and an increase in self-esteem accrues to the helper when he notes that he has positively in...

Discusses the use of guided fantasy in vocational counseling as employed in career exploration programs. Presents an example of technique and some examples of some university students' fantasies. Concludes that structured career fantasies do reveal important career choices. (HMV)

in counseling and therapy with adult men, work themes are prominent because work—defined as performance and mastery in competitive situations—is a major element of adult male identity and self-esteem / although some men travel through this maze of expectations with grace, skill, and luck . . . others get caught at one point or another / they become...

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri, 1973. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.