2. Caplan Therapy Centre
Tom Caplan, MSW
Phone: 514-737-7208
Fax: 514-737-0497
eMail: tcaplan@sympatico.ca
Web: www.tomcaplanmsw.com
Web: www.needs-abc.com
5845 Cote des Neiges
Suite 440
Montreal, QC
H3S 1Z4
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3. Present Clinical Work
Adjunct Professor at McGill S.W. School
McGill Domestic Violence Clinic
Research
Papers
Books
Designated DV Expert in the Quebec Court System
Private Practice
Approved AAMFT Clinical Supervisor
Caplan Therapy Centre
Montreal Anger Management Centre
McGill Domestic Violence Clinic
Clinical Training on Behaviour Management and the
Needs ABC Model
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4. Caplan Therapy Centre
Centre de Therapie Caplan
English language men’s groups for anger management (including DV)
French language women’s groups for anger management (including DV)
McGill Domestic Violence Clinic
English services for men
Support for women (during the school year)
Individual counselling
Marriage and family therapy
Christian counselling
Jewish counselling
Sex therapy
Testing for school-aged children
Workshops and trainings tailored to the needs of the resource:
Behaviour management
Anger in the workplace
Improving compliance in clients (O.T.’s, physios, M.D.’s, etc.)
The Needs ABC intervention model
Group work
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5. Professional Status of CTC
All clinicians have a minimum of a Master’s level
degree
All are members of a professional order
All are trained in the Needs ABC Model as well as
other accredited intervention models
Note: We are the only resource for Anger Management
whose clinicians all are accredited by a professional
order.
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7. Quest for the
“Holy Grail” of Relational Therapy
Looking for a better and more effective way of helping clients – individuals, couples and
families – to move forward with an improved quality of life together.
This quest exists despite the brilliant approaches created by – but not limited to:
Jacobson
Gottman Have any of you presented?
Greenberg
Johnson So – How am “I“ feeling
White
Miller
today?
Rollnick
Teyber What do I need to feel
De Shazer better?
Ellis
Glasser
And others
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8. What I Have Learned
All models have merit and can succeed or fail
depending upon the therapists style and/or
personality
The best way to work on a problem is NOT to work on
the problem
Individual client needs and feelings in relationships
need to be defined and clarified
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9. Model
[Needs ABC]
This model is presently being used with problems such
as:
Substance abuse
Anger management - DV
Gambling
There are two parts to the model:
1. Determining a clients relational needs
2. Collaborating on strategies to get needs met
productively with an eye on emotion
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11. Behaviour Management
Treatment Goals?
The immediate cessation of all forms of inappropriate behaviour
within and without the family or contextual setting.
Effective case management: if several professionals are involved in
treating the client (s)
Creating and Maintaining Hope
Stages of Treatment
Stage 1: Creating a Context for Change
Stage 2: Creatively Challenging Old Patterns and Expanding New
Alternatives
Stage 3: Consolidation of New More Productive Behaviours
Restoration of Positive Behaviours versus Retribution
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12. Needs ABC Approach
Does all 3:
Creating a Context for Change (safety)
Supportively Challenges Old Patterns and Promotes
New Alternatives to Problem-Solving through:
Consolidation of New More Productive Behaviours
Restoration of Positive Behaviours versus Retribution
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13. The Most Difficult Journey
The most difficult journey of all is the distance between
two people.
Author unknown – Perhaps a take off on the Victor Borge quote: “Laughter is the shortest
distance between two people.”
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14. Most Important Prognostic Factors
Difficult to
measure Common Factors associated with Psychotherapy Outcome
“Extra-therapeutic” Factors (40%) - (e.g., safe and stable housing, secure employment,
adequate financial resources, positive interactions, supports in the community)
Therapeutic Alliance (30%) - (e.g., a health care provider’s non-judgmental attitude,
warmth, respect and caring)
Placebo Effect / Expectancy (15%) – (MOTIVATION: a client’s sense of hope and
expectation for recovery)
Therapy Model or Technique (15%) – (cognitive-behavioural therapy, mindfulness-
based stress reduction, etc.)
Asay, T.P. and M.J. Lambert (1999) 'The Empirical Case for the Common Factors in Therapy: Quantitative Findings', in
Hubble et al. (1999).
Bachelor, A. (1988) 'How Clients Perceive Therapist Empathy: A Content Analysis of 'Received' Empathy', Psychotherapy:
Theory, Research and Practice 25: 227-40.
Bordin, E.S. (1979) 'The Generalizability of the Psychoanalytic Concept of the Working Alliance', Psychotherapy: Theory,
Research and Practice 16(3): 252-60.Kitron, D. (2007). Psychoanalytic psychotherapy: The immeasurable profession.
Psychoanalytic Review, 94(3), 463-473.
Bachelor, A. and A. Horvath (1999) 'The Therapeutic Relationship', in Hubble et al. (1999), pp. 133-78.
Krupnick, J.L. et al. (1996) 'The Role of the Therapeutic Alliance in Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy Outcome:
Findings in the National Insitute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program', Journal
of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64: 532-39.
Lambert, M. J. & Barley, D. E. (2001). Research summary on the therapeutic relationship and psychotherapy outcome.
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, Vol 38(4), 357-361.
Orlinsky, D., Grawe, K. and Parks, B. (1994) Process and outcome in psychotherapy: Noch einmal. in A. Bergin and S.
Garfield (Eds). The Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change. (4th Ed) Toronto: Wiley.
The Heart & Soul of Change: What Works in Therapy (1999). M. Hubble, B. Duncan, S. Miller (Eds) . Washington DC: APA
Press.
Weinberger, J. (2006). Common factors aren't so common: The common factors dilemma. Clinical Psychology: Science and
Practice, 2(1), 45-69
www.needs-abc.com 14
15. Therefore: Strengths of Model
The model helps clients to take responsibility by
focusing on THEIR needs (not on others such as the
partner, the employer , the system, etc.)
This model helps clients to feel understood and
supported (joining)
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16. Needs Acquisition and Behaviour Change Model
An Integrated, Relational, Client-Focused Approach
to Therapy – using concepts also described in:
Cognitive-Behavioural / Motivational
(Ellis 1997, Jacobsen 1995, Miller & Rollnick 1991)
Narrative
(White 1990, Jenkins 1990, Avis-Myers 2004)
Solution Focused
(De Shazer 1991, I.K. Berg 1993)
Emotion Focused
(Greenberg & Johnson 1988, Greenberg & Pavio 1997)
Process-Oriented
(Shulman 1992, Teyber, 2000, Caplan, 2005)
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17. Basic Assumption of the Model
It is the NEED (as described in the theme of a
client’s narrative) that DRIVES the EMOTIONS.
It is EMOTION that DRIVES the BEHAVIOURS.
MEETING THE NEED – through appropriate
behaviour – will result in EXTINGUISHING the
inappropriate BEHAVIOUR.
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18. The Needs ABC Model’s Focus:
On Relational needs – NOT on client behaviours!
(defensiveness - shame!)
On the emotions they predict when unmet
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19. The Needs ABC Model’s strategy:
Illuminate a client’s missing relational
needs
Highlight emotions that are more
relationally productive
Help clients to
communicate these needs productively;
and/or
Acquire these needs more functionally
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20. Benefits of Using Model
It is a way of listening
You can continue to use your own style and strategies, etc.
You can integrate it with the model you are using.
It gives clients “answers” – something tangible to work with.
You can “label” the client’s struggle
Relational triggers are demystified
It helps to lead clients away from a “power struggle” and towards
collaborative problem-solving.
The model transcends sexual, racial and cultural issues.
The model can also reduce anxiety for clients with Mental Health
Issues.
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21. Interesting Quote
They may forget what you said, but they will never
forget how you made them feel.
Carl Buchner
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22. Needs ABC Emotion Concepts
“Emotion Focus” Helping the client to
understand their emotional possibilities.
“Emotion Conscious” Helping the client
to understand which emotions are more
useful in problem-solving.
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23. Needs ABC Emotion Focus
Less “Useful” [productive] emotions tend to
drive problematic behaviours and, as a
result, tend not to get our needs met.
More “Useful” [productive] emotions tend to
expose more appropriate options for satisfying
unmet needs.
Note: A “useful emotion” is one that will facilitate problem-
resolution at that time.
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24. Questions
Trainings
Available
Tom Caplan, MSW
(514) 737-7208
tcaplan@sympatico.ca
www.needs-abc.com
www.tomcaplanmsw.com
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