Therapeutic Relationship as a Change Agent in Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

The study qualitatively explored the clients’ and their psychotherapists’ perspectives on the mutative role of therapeutic relationship. The sample was composed of 13 psychotherapist participants from four professional backgrounds, namely, psychoanalysts, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists trained in psychotherapy, and trained psychotherapists not belonging to the above three categories, as well as 16 clients who have successfully completed individual psychotherapy with any one of these 13 psychotherapists in a city in India. Semistructured interviews conducted separately with the client–psychotherapist dyads were analyzed qualitatively using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The themes that emerged suggested five major antecedent processes within the therapeutic relationship namely, listening, containing, reflection of past relationship, obedience–surrender, and curative relational experience. These were related to one or more consequential change processes such as emotional unburdening, acceptance and validation of emotions, generation of emotional strength, setting stage for therapeutic interventions, and reformulation of self or relationships. The clients and their therapists agreed on some functions, but not on all details. Culturally informed interpretations have been proposed in the context of obedience–surrender as a therapeutic process. Relevance of therapeutic relationship was emphasized more by therapists working in psychody...
Source: Journal of Humanistic Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Articles Source Type: research