What Can Therapists Learn from Coding Therapy Sessions? Interviewing Clinicians to Explore the Case of Innovative Moments Training

Abstract

This qualitative study explored eight therapists’ perceptions about how training and research into the Innovative Moment Coding System (IMCS) has influenced their clinical practice. Participants, that worked both as researchers and therapists, were interviewed using a semi-structured script written for the current study. The interviews explored whether or not coding psychotherapy sessions (participants’ research experience with innovative moments; IMs) had impacted their clinical practice. A descriptive–interpretative qualitative approach was used to analyze the video recordings of the interviews. Four themes identified the effects of coding therapy sessions with IMs in therapists’ clinical practice: (1) increasing attention to clients’ change instances, (2) noticing clients’ development, (3) implementing strategies inspired by the IM model, and (4) identifying hindering situations. Results suggested that coding therapy sessions appears to bring benefits to practice, regardless of the participant’s theoretical orientation. We discuss how coding sessions may bring subtle but valuable additions to therapists’ everyday practice offering better attunement to clients’ micro-processes of change. In particular, IMCS categorization of such processes could present a useful form of feedback for therapist’s interventions or deliberate practice, further developing therapists’ sensitivity to the interplay between change and problem narratives (called double listening).