Facilitating client change: Principles based upon the experience of eminent psychotherapists

Levitt, Heidi M.; Williams, Daniel C.

doi:10.1080/10503300903476708

Cited by 37 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Most therapists struggled with disclosure as, even with good intentions; disclosure might not necessarily be helpful for clients (Bottrill et al ., ). Hence, therapists should actively ensure that disclosures are used in a therapeutic manner by taking into account clients’ needs and should, otherwise, protect the client–therapist boundary (Audet and Everall, ; Levitt and Williams, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family therapists’ adult attachment styles and the therapeutic alliance

Yusof¹,

Carpenter²

2015

Journal of Family Therapy

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Therapists' adult attachment style may affect their ability to form effective therapeutic alliances. An analysis of semi-structured interviews with eleven family therapists explored the relationship between their adult attachment styles, as assessed using a self-report measure, and their perceptions of the therapeutic alliance. A framework analysis was employed, using four dimensions of the therapeutic alliance: engagement in the therapeutic process, emotional connection to the therapist, safety within the therapeutic system and shared sense of purpose within the family. Responses were compared between therapists with secure and insecure attachment styles according to different dimensions of the therapeutic alliance. There were no substantial differences in therapists' accounts of their approach to engagement and creating a sense of safety; however they differed in their approaches to managing clients' hostility. Secure and insecure therapists differed in one of the dimensions of therapeutic alliance; emotional connections to family members. Training and supervision could incorporate an understanding of attachment style. Suggestions are made for future research based on this exploratory study. Practitioner Points• The ability to co-create a secure base may be related to the therapist's adult attachment style. • Therapists with insecure attachment styles appear to have difficulty in managing clients' hostility and close emotional connections. • Trainees may benefit from understanding their own adult attachment styles and resolving outstanding family-of-origin issues. • Clinical supervision could reflect on the interaction between the therapist's and family attachment styles.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family therapists’ adult attachment styles and the therapeutic alliance

Yusof¹,

Carpenter²

2015

Journal of Family Therapy

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“…Since safety in the psychotherapeutic relationship has been viewed as central to the development of positive change (Levitt & Williams, 2010), psychologists are encouraged to use appropriate methods of self-exploration and self-education (e.g., consultation, study, and formal continuing education) to identify and ameliorate implicit and explicit biases about homosexuality and bisexuality. In doing so, psychologists strive to be aware of how their own background and personal factors, such as gender, sexual orientation, heterosexism, and religious ideology, may influence their assessment and treatment of gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients (T. Israel, Gorcheva, Walther, Sulzner, & Cohen, 2008;Morrow, 2000).…”

Section: Guideline 4 Psychologists Are Encouraged To Recognize How Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients.

Kashubeck‐West¹

2012

American Psychologist

491

222

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and Bisexual Clients" provide psychologists with (a) a frame of reference for the treatment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients 1 and (b) basic information and further references in the areas of assessment, intervention, identity, relationships, diversity, education, training, and research. These practice guidelines are built upon the "Guidelines for Psychotherapy With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients" (Division 44/Committee on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns Joint Task Force on Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients, 2000) and are consistent with the American Psychological Association (APA) "Criteria for Practice Guideline Development and Evaluation" (APA, 2002a). They assist psychologists in the conduct of lesbian, gay, and bisexual affirmative practice, education, and research. The term guidelines refers to pronouncements, statements, or declarations that suggest or recommend specific professional behavior, endeavors, or conduct for psychologists. Guidelines differ from standards in that standards are mandatory and may be accompanied by an enforcement mechanism. Thus, these guidelines are aspirational in intent. They are intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and to help ensure a high level of professional practice by psychologists. These guidelines are not intended to be mandatory or exhaustive and may not be applicable to every clinical situation. They should not be construed as definitive and are not intended to take precedence over the judgment of psychologists. Practice guidelines essentially involve recommendations to professionals regarding their conduct and the issues to be considered in particular areas of psychological practice. Practice guidelines are consistent with current APA policy. It is also important to note that practice guidelines are superseded by federal and state law and must be consistent with the current APA "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (APA, 2002b). 2 This article was published Online First August 29, 2011. These guidelines were adopted by the APA Council of Representatives, February 18-20, 2011, and replace the original "Guidelines for Psychotherapy With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients," which were adopted February 26, 2000, and expired at the end of 2010. These revised and updated guidelines were developed by the Division 44/Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Guidelines Revision Task Force. The task force included Kristin Hancock (chair) and members

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“…Clinical research has also consistently demonstrated that safety in a therapeutic relationship is critical for positive change (Levitt & Williams, 2010). Mental health providers are uniquely positioned to help their clients feel safe by seeking to recognize and mitigate the effects of stigma experienced by their CNM clients.…”

Section: Therapeutic Alliances and Cnm Minority Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Though therapists can support people in CNM relationships, their ability to do so may hinge on using affirming practices to build a positive therapeutic relationships (cf. Corey, Schneider-Corey, & Callanan, 1993;Levitt & Williams, 2010). The current literature guiding therapy with individuals in CNM relationships relies on first-person experiences and small samples (e.g., Bairstow, 2016;Girard & Brownlee, 2015;Weitzman, 2006;Weitzman, Davidson, & Phillips, 2012;Zimmerman, 2012).…”

Section: The Present Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Harmful and helpful therapy practices with consensually non-monogamous clients: Toward an inclusive framework.

Schechinger

Sakaluk²,

Moors

2018

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

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Objective: Drawing on minority stress perspectives, we investigated the therapy experiences of individuals in consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships. Method: We recruited a community sample of 249 individuals engaged in CNM relationships across the U.S. and Canada. Confirmatory factor analysis structural equation modeling were used to analyze client perceptions of therapist practices in a number of exemplary practices (affirming of CNM) or inappropriate practices (biased, inadequate, or not affirming of CNM), and their associations with evaluations of therapy. Open-end responses about what clients found very helpful and very unhelpful were also analyzed. Results: Exemplary and inappropriate practices constituted separate, but related patterns of therapist conduct. As expected, perceptions of exemplary and inappropriate practices predicted therapist helpfulness ratings and whether participants prematurely terminated their therapeutic relationships. Qualitative results point toward the importance of having/pursuing knowledge about CNM and using affirming, nonjudgmental practices. Conclusions: Therapists are positioned to either combat or perpetuate the minority stress faced by individuals engaged in CNM. The results of this study highlight the need for additional research, training, and guidelines regarding CNM clients and their therapy experiences. Harmful and helpful therapy practices with consensually non-monogamous clients: Toward an inclusive frameworkPublic interest-and participation-in consensual non-monogamy (CNM) or, relationship arrangements in which the all partners involved agree to extradyadic sexual and/or romantic relationships), are on the rise. This is evidenced by media coverage (e.g.,

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Facilitating client change: Principles based upon the experience of eminent psychotherapists

Cited by 37 publications

References 27 publications

Family therapists’ adult attachment styles and the therapeutic alliance

Family therapists’ adult attachment styles and the therapeutic alliance

Guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients.

Harmful and helpful therapy practices with consensually non-monogamous clients: Toward an inclusive framework.

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