T = Testing
I don't use testing simply because it's part of TEAM-CBT. I use it because research consistently shows that therapy is more effective when therapists regularly measure progress and seek feedback from their clients.
In fact, studies have found that routine outcome monitoring and client feedback can improve treatment outcomes, reduce dropout, and help identify when someone is not making the progress we'd expect. Rather than relying solely on a therapist's judgment, measurement gives us another tool to make sure we're heading in the right direction. (
Research has also shown that therapists are not always good at detecting when clients are getting worse or when therapy has gone off track. Regular testing helps catch these issues earlier so we can adjust our approach when needed.
To me, that just makes sense. If we're going to invest time and energy into therapy, I want us to have a way to measure whether it's actually helping.