Evidence-Based Practice can be best described as the application of research based treatments, that are tailored by an experienced therapist to meet the individual needs, preferences, and cultural expectations of those receiving them. To see a far more nuanced explanation, please keep reading.

If you are like many people, you may have heard the phrase “evidence-based practice” at some point when searching for or receiving healthcare services, including mental healthcare services, but not be sure what this means. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is commonly likened to a three legged stool (Sackett, 2000). You can think of the first leg of the stool as representing the best available clinical scientific evidence. This leg is commonly described as the most important leg of the three legged stool, thus this page includes more information about this leg than the other two legs.

The second leg consists of your values and preferences as a patient. The final leg consists of your provider’s (such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric nurse, mental health counselor) own clinical experience. The rationale behind EBP is that your healthcare outcomes will be optimized if all three legs of the stool are taken into account in making decisions about your care. On the surface, EBP makes a lot of sense and is pretty straightforward. However, there are some things you will want to consider in deciding whether or not a given therapist is, in fact, engaging in EBP.

Source: opens in a new windowAssociation for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies