The Third Wave of Behavioral Interventions
Behavioral Approaches have the best scientific evidence for their effectiveness.
An early criticism of the Behavioral Approach was the lack of an Interaction and Relationship between the Practitioner and the Client. This is the reason the Third Wave was developed. The Third Wave Behavioral approaches maintain the scientific rigor of the behavioral tradition, and add the interpersonal relationship component that finally makes these techniques the total package that is most effective at achieving behavior change.
The First Wave of effective behavioral change procedures was based on Behavior Modification, and I still have a commitment to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in autism and developmental disabilities. In the First Wave the Therapist is the active agent, using behavioral technology to assist the client to change. (This approach is often the best approach for certain problems like Autism and Developmental Disabilities.)
The Second Wave is based on Behavior Therapy in which the client is active, using techniques like Systematic Desensitization, Traditional Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, etc. (This approach is often the best for specific problems like anxiety, health related problems, etc.)
In the Third Wave, the therapist and the client are interactive. The therapy is contextually based and there is a high reliance on therapist-client relationship to effect change. Third Wave approaches are approaches like Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and some CBT+Mindfulness Based Approaches.
The Third Wave approaches are best for Coaching (and therapy) in which problems are broad, contextual, or even existential in nature. My Coaching style is based on Third Wave behavioral approaches in which achieving the client's target outcome is the most important goal.
I provide (supervision of) ABA services as the best supported evidenced based practice for autism and developmental disabilities. CBT is a well supported evidenced based practice for the treatment of specific anxieties, depression with environmental determinants, and certain maladaptive health related behaviors. My approach for for Coaching and most Health Psyhology is primarily based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with ocasional use of Funtional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), Client Centered Therapy, and traditional coaching practices.