The impact of seating arrangement and therapy task on therapeutic alliance formation

Abstract

The term "therapeutic alliance" is widely used without a commonly agreed definition, but most definitions encompass several interpersonal processes such as empathy, rapport, agreement of shared goals and collaboration (Horvath, Del Re, Fluckiger, & Symonds, 2011).These processes act parallel to, and are theoretically independent of, specific modal treatment techniques (Green, 2006). Therapeutic alliance is causally related to better session-on-session symptomatic improvement (Falkenström, Granström, & Holmqvist, 2013) and

“Bumps in the Road”: A Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Technique for the Integration of Unresolved Family Loss and Trauma

“…However, it is also acknowledged that therapists may have displayed a similarly high level of competence delivering other aspects of the intervention. The latter finding that therapeutic space is associated with treatment outcome aligns with past research highlighting the importance of aspects of the physical environment, including room size, containment (Pearson and Wilson, 2012), and seating arrangement (Rickard et al, 2020), in enhancing treatment outcomes; however, research in this area is predominantly limited to qualitative studies. Additionally, interpretation of this association is complicated by suboptimal inter-rater reliability, and the heterogenous nature of the Therapeutic Space variable which encompassed factors including not only the physical environment, but the appropriateness of materials, whether the task was completed with all significant family members together, and whether the family were invited to keep the drawing upon conclusion of the task after a copy was made for the clinical file.…”

Potential Space in Hospitals: Insight From a Health Psychologist

“…Some other provisions can also be specified to favor synchrony of nonverbal communication and bodily interaction, which has been recognized as a key factor in psychotherapy (Koole & Tschacher, 2016). Specifically, an empty round table enabling a flexible setting for the consultation should be provided; different dispositions (face-to-face, side by side) have been proven to be factors that can impact the alliance between therapist and patient (Rickard et al, 2020). Some comfortable chairs (at least one for the patient, one for the clinician, and two more for other healthcare professionals or relatives), personalized decor, a window allowing fresh air, and an electronic workstation on a separate desk should be considered as some useful requirements.…”