ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the common factors from psychotherapy research and how family therapy approaches already address them. The therapeutic relationship must be emphasized as a critical factor that organizes integration. To become competent with universal practices, it is important to foster personal growth in the self of the therapist. The individual outcome research cited considers client attributes to be such things as motivation, commitment, strengths, faith, beliefs about change and worldview. In a postmodern world, there is no doubt about the importance of therapists honoring the client’s worldview. The term resistance fell away from postmodern models of family therapy, but it is a cliché in the general field of psychotherapy. The person might benefit from nonthreatening information to raise awareness of a possible problem and possibilities for change. Motivational interviewing is a collaborative counseling style that targets ambivalence, a naturally occurring stage in all types of change processes.
