The term ―evidence-based practices‖ evokes varying responses in our profession—not all of them positive. Indeed, it was not until I broadened my own theoretical and clinical perspective, that I was able to fully appreciate the value of scientific methods and integrate them into my daily work. My early training was rooted in Freudian, object relations, and family systems theories, and I continue to place a high value on those constructs and how they enhance my ability to effect lasting change in my patients’ lives. I also have witnessed the critical advances that evidence-based interventions have made toward helping patients understand and accept their conditions, while facilitating development of skills that reduce suffering and improve the overall quality of life. In this article, I review these contributions and invite readers who are not trained in these modalities to learn more about them and integrate them into their existing practices. I believe that borrowing the best of all areas is the optimal path to delivering effective treatment. But as our scientist-practitioner colleagues would say, ―the proof is in the data‖— so I invite you to join in the effort to collect them.

During my internship, my introduction to seriously ill adolescent inpatients and their slow responses to nondirective treatment methods forced me to step back and question my approach: Could I maintain a psychodynamic perspective yet broaden my clinical skills to intervene more directly and effectively in my patients’ refractory conditions? My subsequent clinical and administrative experience in public service, working with underprivileged, severely disturbed youths and their families, further deepened my resolve to diversify both my theoretical perspective and my clinical armamentarium. Perhaps the most helpful step toward that goal was my training and certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Dr. Marsha Linehan’s (1993) evidence-based paradigm for treating borderline personality disorder—and the only proven psychological treatment for reducing suicidal behavior.

Among scientist-practitioners, empirically driven models of care provide the foundation for assessment and treatment, and the literature is replete with articles highlighting their efficacy in improving patient outcomes. However, many independent practitioners …