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This article describes an approach to therapeutic work with families based more on a value-system about persons in relationship than on an objectively validated scientific view and makes a claim for the contribution of existential philosophy to such endeavour.

This article introduces the concept of goal-corrected empathic attunement, a process we consider essential to psychotherapy. We locate the concept within the theoretical framework of attachment theory, illustrate it through sequences of interaction taken from video clips, and show how to achieve statistically reliable ratings using independent raters.

I wish to acknowledge the contribution of Yvonne Agazarian, Dorothy Heard, and Brian Lake in the preparation of this article. Yvonne Agazarian supplied the clinical material and contributed to the drafting of the sections on SCT. All three read the first draft of the manuscript and made useful corrections and comments. The names of those taking part in the group have been changed to preserve confidentiality.

This paper presents the results of a preliminary study on the recognition of affect attunement in adult psychotherapy. Brief extracts from six videotaped therapy sessions were shown to experienced clinicians, who were asked to judge whether the therapist was attuned to the client/patient or not. Clear examples of attunement and non-attunement were obtained and these were then shown to a sample of postgraduate social work trainees. The trainee results showed none of the consistency of the clinicians' judgments: 67% (n = 21) were undecided about the example of attunement, with only 19.3% (n = 6) giving responses which corresponded with those of the clinicians. For the non-attuned extract, just over a third gave a response which coincided with the clinicians, with 42% (n = 13) undecided. The results were used to develop a model for future research on affect attunement, which should provide the basis for the development of strategies for teaching the attunement skills which may be required by therapists.