Reference no: EM133446227

Case Study: While certain modalities interact with the therapeutic relationship in different ways, it is understood that the relationship or alliance itself is integral to the therapeutic process (Kennerley et al., 2017). For example, within emotionally focused therapy, the therapist serves as a "safe haven" where the client is comforted and reassured reliably to achieve emotional balance (Johnson, 2019). Here, the therapeutic relationship is a primary force in helping the client achieve positive outcomes. Within various psychodynamic theories, the therapeutic relationship acts as an opportunity for the client to acquire positive experiences, or corrective emotional experiences, which can reshape transference dynamics (McWIlliams, 2004). In this sense, the relationship is regarded as integral for symptom improvement. However, within CBT and differing from the prior mentioned modalities, the therapeutic relationship is not seen as sufficient enough on its own to result in positive treatment outcomes (Kennerley et al., 2017). Rather, more emphasis is placed onto the client to predict treatment outcome versus the therapeutic relationship as a whole (Kennerley et al., 2017). Correspondingly, the CBT therapist may wish to use the relationship as a tool for engaging the client with therapy and encouraging them to participate. This notion is strongly emphasized when providing CBT to children as Wilmots et al. (2020) notes that the therapeutic relationship is essential in promoting the participation and engagement of children within therapy.

Question: What other differences or similarities exist within the therapeutic relationship across modalities?