- Basic premise: STS is an evidence based treatment that uses empirical principles to compile an integrated treatment plan to identify procedures that optimize clinical change, based on clients’ personal qualities and problem characteristics. Therapists can use STS principles within or across theories to tailor treatment for their client’s needs.
- Essence of therapy: STS is a “prescriptive psychotherapy” which guides therapists as they choose procedures and treatment modalities from a wide variety of approaches by following evidence driven principles of change. STS therapy integrates both cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapies with regard to clients’ coping styles.
- Length: STS therapy is conducted within a framework of 8 to 24 sessions. The length varies with clients’ levels of functional impairment, readiness for change, and therapists’ flexibility to select and use effective interventions that fit the patient. The effects are generally retained over 6 and 12 month follow ups.
Other Treatment Resources
- Common, specific, and cross-cutting psychotherapy interventions (Beutler, Forrester, Holt, & Stein, 2013)
- Systematic Treatment Selection (STS) and Prescriptive Therapy (Beutler, Harwood, Bertoni, & Thomann, 2002)
- Integrative and Eclectic Therapies in Practice (Beutler, Consoli, & Williams, 1995)
- Making assessment relevant to treatment planning: The STS clinician rating form (Fisher, Beutler, & Williams, 1999)
Meta-analyses and Systematic Reviews
- Coping Style (2nd ed.; Beutler, Harwood, Kimpara, Verdirame, & Blau, 2011)
- Resistance/Reactance Level (2nd ed.; Beutler, Harwood, Michelson, Song & Holman, 2011)
- Coping Styles (3rd ed.; Beutler, Edwards, Kimpara, & Miller, in press)
- Reactance/Resistance (3rd ed.; Edwards, Beutler, & Someah, in press)
Clinical Trials
- Predictors of differential response to cognitive, experiential, and self-directed psychotherapeutic procedures (Beutler et al., 1991)
- Looking for differential effects: Cross-cultural predictors of differential psychotherapy efficacy (Beutler, Mohr, Graw, Engle, & MacDonald, 1991)
- Differential patient X treatment maintenance of treatment effects among cognitive, experiential, and self-directed psychotherapies (Beutler, Machado, Engle, & Mohr, 1991)
- Interactions between psychotherapy process and patient attributes that predict alcohol treatment effectiveness: A preliminary report (Karno, Beutler, & Harwood, 2002)
- A comparison of the Dodo, EST, and ATI indicators among co-morbid stimulant dependent, depressed patients (Beutler et al., 2003)
- Common and specific effects of couples treatment for alcoholism: A test of the generic model of psychotherapy (Harwood, Beutler, Castillo, & Karno, 2006)
- Common, specific and treatment fit variables in psychotherapy outcome (Beutler, Forrestor, Gallagher-Thompson, Thompson, & Tomlins, 2012)
- Evidence-based supervision: Tracking outcome and teaching principles of change in clinical supervision to bring science to integrative practice (Holt et al., 2015)
- Are all cognitive therapies alike? A comparison of cognitive and non-cognitive therapy process and implications for the application of empirically supported treatments (ESTs) (Malik, Beutler, Alimohamed, Gallagher-Thompson, & Thompson, 2003)
Smartphone Apps
- STS Innerlife Smartphone Apps (Beutler & Heller, 2017)
Books Available for Purchase Through External Sites
- Am I Crazy, Or Is It My Shrink? (Beutler, Bongar, & Shurkin, 1988)
- Self-Help That Works: Resources to Improve Emotional Health and Strengthen Relationships, 4th edition (Norcross et al., 2014)
Measures, Handouts and Worksheets
- STS Measurements: Innerlife for Clinicians (Beutler, William, & Norcross, 2009)
- STS Measurements: Innerlife for Clients (Beutler, William, & Norcross, 2009)
- Therapist Process Rating Scale (TPRS) Short Version (Kimpara, Regner, & Beutler, 2013)
- Handouts for STS Principles 18 (Beutler, Clarkin, & Bongar 2000)
- Handouts for Supervision Training (Beutler, Kimpara, & Forester, 2014)
Training Materials and Workshops
- Systematic Treatment Selection Training Programs (for licensed psychologists, APA CE credits are provided)
- Supervision Training 1: History and Development of Eight Core STS Principles
- Supervision Training 2: STS Principles 1-4 and Their Applications
- Supervision Training 3: STS Principles 5-8 and Their Applications
- Supervision Training 4: STS Case Formulation and Assessment
- Supervision Training 5: Additional Case Practice and Summary of STS 8 Principles
- Therapist Training 1: Patient Resistance
- Therapist Training 2: Patient Coping Style
- Innerlife STS (SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices)
Related Diagnosis
Mixed Anxiety Conditions|Depression|Substance and Alcohol Use Disorders
EST Status
N/A
2015 EST Status
Treatment pending re-evaluation
1998 EST Status
Strong