Therapeutic Relationship Strategies

As a relationally-oriented therapist, I approach therapy with the general goal of helping you better understand yourself, what matters to you, and how you exist in the world. Based on what you want to accomplish, together we can uncover your true self so you can lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life. This process often involves a combination of making sense of earlier experiences, working with ongoing patterns, and re-evaluating future expectations or assumptions. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will focus on issues and perceptions that may be holding you back or keeping you stuck.

Couple therapy often refers to the common negative process, of pursuer and withdrawer, in order to understand the relational dance. This is the process where one partner purses the other through emotional demands, criticism, and complaints, while the other retreats through withdrawal, defensiveness, and passive interaction (Christensen, & Heavey,1990). Many theorists have identified a gender linkage with this pattern, suggesting women present as the demanding, pursuer, while men assume the role of the distant, withdrawer (Christensen, & Heavey,1990; Mornells, 1979). There is a belief among some theorists that this pattern results from different personality characteristics of men and women, and therefore impacted

Your opening paragraph is wonderful. Building a relationship with the client with the thought that your relationship might be the first healthy relationship the client has had is a great perspective to have. Going forward with that perspective really opens up the possibility of a trusting, therapeutic relationship, even if the client has had a positive relationship with others.

Lee, thank you for your discussion. I also noted that showing empathy with your client is an excellent way to begin a healthy therapeutic relationship. Using verbal and nonverbal cues to the client is an easy way to show them you are listening (Fife, Whiting, Bradford & David, 2014).

People have different comfort levels and may have preferences about working with certain kinds of therapists, such as race. Those preferences should be respected, if possible, because they help ease the social part of beginning therapy, which provides a calm relationship that can help a client overcome the anxiety of beginning a therapeutic relationship.

It really helped me to understand more about hallucinations, and its complication. Furthermore, the experience like this will make us ready for the next step. I believe that I will add more experience on top of this and help patients. The first thing I will do to help patients with this kind of situation is that I will develop a therapeutic relationship with patients based on sympathy and trust. Because once I developed a good relationship with patients, it would be easier to work patients then provide care for them. Furthermore, I will implement the communication model of SOLER, which sits squarely, open posture, lean towards the other, eye contact, relax, to build a therapeutic relationship with patients.

Naureen, I completely agree with your discussion. Individuals are not naturally able to divulge every little detail about their lives or the presenting problem in the initial therapy session. In fact, it may take months for a clients to fully open up. Sometimes through client reflection they start to discuss details and then things they are not even fully aware of come out or to the surface. From personal experience this has happened. Something that I wanted to keep withheld from my therapy session just came out without being fully aware. In the end I was grateful that it did and I developed a stronger therapeutic relationship with my therapist. However, this is a process and take time to develop. It is imperative that the therapist

Research has shown rapport-building has a direct correlation to affirmative change. Whereas rapport is vital to establish a meaningful dialogue the counselor must also use this relationship as a vehicle for promoting a viable and transformation in the clients thinking and behavior. The rapport or therapeutic relationship ensures

Similar to the past three weeks, each model presented this week has the capacity to harness common factors (CF) in supporting client change. Interestingly, this week’s wiki presented an eclectic group of models. While they all differ in approach, they share a common strength in their ability to foster therapeutic relationships and repair client’s interpersonal relationships during session, and outside of session. According to D’Aniello (2013), family systems have the capacity to change when one family member changes, resulting in a positive shift in the dynamics of the interpersonal relationships. Hence, when an individual is able to externalize their problems, make meaning of their life, and re-story the narrative of their life, they evolve

Don got information about the world of work; however, he did not consider how factors like his personality, interest and abilities play a factor in his decision making, which are vital factors to consider. In this case, the therapist would help Don to have a better understanding of his interest, values, personality, and abilities and how they impact the career choice that he makes. The factors names above would

The first section of the treatment plan is establishing the therapeutic relationship. This section also established how the assessment will be evaluated based on the cultural, sexual preference, religious and socio-economical dynamics of the client and family (Gerhart, 2014). The purpose would be to establish any crisis issues that need immediate attention (Gerhart, 2014). The next section involves the working phase, which consists of setting two to three goals. The working phases consists of adjusting the goals to the progression or non-progression the client and/or family is making throughout the therapeutic relationship (Gerhart, 2014). The purpose of the working phases is using the appropriate language to document the proper treatment

A therapeutic relationship requires the development of rapport, empowerment and collaboration which again are achieved through effectively using all aspects of verbal and non-verbal communication. While rapport develops as trust develops, empowerment is achieved when the OT uses their skills, knowledge and self to support the client in overcoming the challenges they face (O’Toole, 2013). Collaboration which encourages clients to be ‘agents of change in their own circumstances’ (O’Toole, 2012, p17) is the final component in the establishment of a therapeutic relationship. Establishing an effective therapeutic relationship and achieving mutual understanding facilitates client-centered practice and is considered the difference between successful and unsuccessful therapy (O’Brien & Hussey, 2013).

The mission of Dhirubhai Ambani International School Department of College Counseling is to meet the needs of the entire college-bound population. We are dedicated to the success and educational development of every student in pursuit of their passion through the medium of post-secondary education. Through individualized support planning, counseling and collaboration with families, the Department of College Counselling team reinforces educational values that enable the DAIS students achieve their goals and succeed in competitive college environments.

Counselors who are giving career advice use several different tests to assess clients. These tests focus on “interest and personality inventories” (Nugent & Jones, pg. 283). The Strong interest inventory or (SII) is a way to guide a student in possible career choices based on a variety of questions. The kuder occupational interest survey (KOIS) and the self-directed search (SDS) are also geared to help clients make a career choice. These types of tests look at a variety of areas to focus in on a career choices that clients are struggling to choose.

The importance of a quality therapeutic relationship cannot be overstated. In a healthcare setting, the relationship between the provider and client is one that shapes the entire experience. Research indicates that the quality of this relationship is perhaps even more important than the precise therapeutic intervention provided.1 The aim herein is to discuss the key components of this type of relationship and identify hallmarks of a supportive therapeutic environment. Additionally, the therapeutic frameworks of Motivational Interviewing and the Social Cognitive theory will be discussed in relation to how they can inform an effective counseling session.