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The Therapeutic Relationship Between Therapist And Client

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Having a trusting and professional therapeutic relationship between therapist and client is extremely important in achieving the successful treatment of an individual. A therapist, who is well trained with a highly knowledgeable background in psychological theories and practices, would find their practices ineffective if a positive therapeutic relationship was unable to be met and maintained. The maintenance of this relationship also comes with challenges, such as the possible development of sexual and loving feelings experienced from both parties. A good therapist is a person that a client can share their deepest pain and personal thoughts with, so it is not surprising that this sort of relationship can often lead to feelings of love and attraction. This essay will explore in further detail the importance of the therapeutic relationship in the clinical setting, along with issues that can arise, casual and protective factors, and finally an outline of the importance of how education and research into this field can improve therapy as a whole for both therapist and patient alike.
Firstly, let’s take a deeper look into exactly what the ‘therapeutic relationship’ entails and what importance it has in assessment and intervention in a clinical practice. The therapeutic relationship, also known as the helping or working alliance (Priebe, Richardson, Cooney, Adedji & McCabe, 2010), is based on the interactions shared by therapist and patient from the moment of first meeting, and

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