Ideal psychotherapy research: a study of significant change processes.

The research approach I recommend involves the intensive analysis of concrete-change performances using both intensive observation and measurement of in-session behavior, as well as the investigation of participants' subjective recall of their experience. The goal is to build models of client-change processes and the therapist interventions that set these in motion. Examples of research efforts to study the allowing of emotional pain, the process of interruption of emotion, and the process of resolution of hopelessness are given.