The Dynamics of Change in Psychotherapy

Abstract

Two separate lines of evidence converge to suggest that insight cannot properly be considered to be the crucial condition for behavioural change in psychotherapy. All major psychotherapeutic systems recognize that ‘intellectual’ insight alone is ineffective, and make careful provision for interpersonal interaction. Current research on personality development suggests that understanding is not enough to assure adaptive learning. Adjustment to reality depends on opportunity for the repeated trial-and-check of an individual's expectations. In psychotherapy, this implies opportunity for interpersonal interaction in a consistently warm and accepting social environment.