Incorporating Deliberate Practice in the Process of Continual Therapeutic Skill Development

Abstract

Efforts to advance dissemination and implementation of evidentiary treatments in applied environments are closely tied to clinical training methods. In particular, strategies to train skills that focus on narrowly defined, concrete, pragmatic activities without connection to a specific manualized approach may be more generally acceptable to practitioners. This paper presents examples of training/practice exercises meeting this description, which were developed following the overarching findings of expertise development and deliberate practice research. The rationale for constructing these activities is presented in connection to relevant theory, as is a basic model to enable the end user to do the same. Tools to stimulate routine consideration of interminable efforts to improve clinical skills are also provided, including an emphasis on self-review, collaboration with a practice group, and inflection point training.