Process-Based Therapy: An Individualized Paradigm in Psychotherapy

MARAL S., DALKILINÇ G., Kul A., TURK F.

İnönü Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, cilt.27, sa.1, ss.364-381, 2026 (TRDizin)

Özet

Process-Based Therapy (PBT) has emerged as a holistic and individualized psychotherapy model that moves beyond the limitations of traditional symptom-focused approaches by addressing individuals’ psychosocial needs through core biopsychosocial processes. Its primary aim is to enhance psychological flexibility, enabling individuals to develop more adaptive responses to environmental challenges. In line with this aim, PBT draws on integrative theoretical frameworks such as the Extended Evolutionary Meta-Model (EEMM), which organizes key change processes underlying psychological functioning and dysfunction. This narrative review comprehensively examines the theoretical foundations, historical development, and clinical applications of PBT, while synthesizing recent advances in the process-based psychotherapy literature. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of assessment tools, such as the Process-Based Assessment Tool (PBAT), in evaluating therapeutic processes and monitoring treatment effectiveness over time. Current research indicates that PBT demonstrates promising effects not only in the treatment of common psychopathological conditions such as anxiety and depression, but also across a range of contextual domains, including workplace conflict, interpersonal relationships, and pandemic-related stress. Accordingly, the present review integrates theoretical publications, measurement instruments, and empirical studies related to PBT to provide a coherent synthesis of the existing evidence base. Overall, the findings suggest that PBT represents a meaningful paradigm shift in psychotherapy by prioritizing modifiable processes over fixed diagnostic categories and by facilitating the development of process-based interventions that support individuals’ subjective well-being. This review aims to situate PBT within the broader psychotherapy literature and to offer directions for future research.