Have you ever sunk into the couch at your therapist's office, given a report of the week, and scheduled for next week without a sense of knowing where you are going in therapy or how well you are getting there?

Psychotherapy is an intensely individualized experience. With therapeutic interventions ranging from the rapid eye movements of EMDR meant to assist in processing trauma to the exploration of person-centered therapy, a session between any given client and any given therapist is bound to be as unique as a fingerprint. And some sessions may be more productive than others.

Research has sought to identify the attributes that lead to the most effective therapy. Measuring outcomes in psychotherapy is tricky, as what individuals seek through counseling varies wildly from person to person. Some are on a quest of self-discovery, an incredibly subjective journey. Others look to change behaviors, like decreasing........

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