Commitment to collaboration as a prerequisite for existential commonality in psychotherapy.

The therapeutic context: Preconditions for change in psychotherapy.

“…In particular, Bordin saw the quality of the alliance as being determined by the level of agreement between client and therapist about the goals and methods of therapy. This is similar to Harcum’s (1989) concept of commitment to collaboration, in which the client and therapist work as a team toward a common goal.…”

Client commitment and resolve to carry out postsession behaviors.

“…Of these 16 methods, only 1 consisted of the common method in which the client is simply requested, told, or instructed to carry out a postsession behavior as a homework assignment (cf. Brady, 1972; Harcum, 1989;Papajohn, 1982; Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982). Methods used with relatively higher frequency include Method 2, in which the client initiates defining of the postsession behavior; Method 3, which highlights the client's readiness and willingness to undertake the postsession behavior; Method 5, in which the therapist is concretely specific in defining the postsession behavior and situational context; Method 10, in which the therapist encourages, presses, and urges the client to carry out the postsession behavior; and Method 16, in which therapist and client arrive at a contractual understanding and agreement that the client will carry out the postsession behavior.…”

Client commitment and resolve to carry out postsession behaviors.

“…Of these 16 methods, only 1 consisted of the common method in which the client is simply requested, told, or instructed to carry out a postsession behavior as a homework assignment (cf. Brady, 1972; Harcum, 1989; Papajohn, 1982; Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982). Methods used with relatively higher frequency include Method 2, in which the client initiates defining of the postsession behavior; Method 3, which highlights the client's readiness and willingness to undertake the postsession behavior; Method 5, in which the therapist is concretely specific in defining the postsession behavior and situational context; Method 10, in which the therapist encourages, presses, and urges the client to carry out the postsession behavior; and Method 16, in which therapist and client arrive at a contractual understanding and agreement that the client will carry out the postsession behavior.…”

“…For example, a postsession behavior might be to have the client either keep a daily log of times when he or she feels anxious or deliberately not smoke the whole day following the session. The therapist merely recommends or tells the client to carry out the postsession behavior and obtains the client's simple acknowledgment or agreement to carry it out (Brady, 1972; Harcum, 1989; Papajohn, 1982; Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982). “Generally, clients are expected to carry out requested behavior both within and outside of sessions” (Nelson & Borkovec, 1989, p. 155; cf.…”