TPC-DIGEST-Vol3Issue3

TPC D igest 28 Treatment Fit: A Description and Demonstration via Video of a Brief and Functional Treatment Fit Model – DIGEST Russ Curtis is an Associate Professor and Heather Thompson an Assistant Professor, both at the counseling program at Western Carolina University. Gerald A. Juhnke, NCC, is a Professor in the Counseling Department at The University of Texas at San Antonio; Melodie Frick, NCC, is an Assistant Professor in the counseling program at Western Carolina University. Correspondence can be addressed to Russ Curtis, Department of Human Services, Western Carolina University, 91 Killian Building Lane, Room 208, Cullowhee, NC 28723, curtis@email.wcu.edu. A u t h o r s O ne of the strongest treatment variables for increasing the likelihood of a positive counseling outcome is the degree to which client and counselor agree on the issues, goals and treatment plans, otherwise known as treatment fit. Treatment fit has been shown to improve client outcome, reduce early termination, decrease clients’ complaints against therapists, and reduce treatment costs. Despite evidence indicating the importance of treatment fit for improving client outcome, there is a dearth of literature explaining how to conduct a brief, functional and collaborative treatment fit plan in the first session. And, although it is recognized that developing a treatment plan is advisable, there is a modicum of information describing how to create treatment fit in a brief and practical format that can be used in clinical settings. The purpose of this article is to describe and demonstrate how a brief treatment fit strategy, the treatment fit model (TFM), can be utilized to address specific client Russ Curtis Heather Thompson Gerald A. Juhnke Melodie H. Frick