Multiple-case depth research: Bringing experience-near closer

The term "experience-near" has become associated with a variety of alternatives to mainstream clinical research. These alternatives converge on one basic methodological goal-faithfulness to clinical phenomena as lived. This article presents one approach to lived clinical phenomena that I term multiple-case depth research or MCDR. MCDR is a novel and highly sensitive methodology that combines both in-depth case investigation with experiential therapeutic principles. To illustrate the power of MCDR, I present a hypothetical process and outcome study involving three client cohorts (those who undergo respectively cognitive-behavioral therapy, intersubjective psychoanalytic therapy, and existential-humanistic therapy). I detail the structure of this hypothetical study, the steps by which it proceeds, and the yield that it portends. I conclude that, if conducted properly, MCDR can provide rich, valid, and unprecedented insight into effective psychotherapy.