From readers' ratings of satisfaction, problem resolution, and perceived emotional change during treatment, Consumer Reports magazine (CR, 1995) concluded both that psychotherapy is effective and that longer, more intensive therapy is more effective. The authors compared prospectively gathered 45-Item Outcome Questionnaire scores (OQ-45; M. J. Lambert, N. B. with CR scores gathered 6 or more weeks after treatment among 302 former counseling center clients. CR perceived emotional change scores were strongly correlated with but sharply overestimated prospectively measured OQ-45 change scores. Treatment length was correlated with CR satisfaction ratings but not with CR perceived change scores, CR problem resolution scores, or change measured with the OQ-45. CR's conclusions appear to have been too optimistic and too general.