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Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology pp 3455–3457Cite as

Therapist-Patient Relationship

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Synonyms

Counseling relationship; Helping alliance; Therapeutic alliance; Therapeutic bond; Working alliance

Definition

The working relationship developed between the therapist and client within the context of therapy and in pursuit of therapeutic objectives and goals. While there are many components of the alliance, it can best be understood as a combination of the interpersonal relationship between the counselor and client, and the collaborative structuring of that relationship to meet the goals of therapy.

Current Knowledge

Background

The relationship between the client and counselor has been a recognized essential component of counseling since the inception of psychotherapy, and was first described by Freud. In 1965, Greenson established the term “working alliance” to describe the components of the relationship that contribute to progress in therapy. Recent literature has focused on investigating the influence of the relationship on therapy outcomes. Research has established the...

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References and Readings

  • Del Re, A. C., Flückiger, C., Horvath, A. O., Symonds, D., & Wampold, B. E. (2012). Therapists effects in the therapeutic alliance-outcome relationship: A restricted-maximum likelihood meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 32(7), 642–649.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Emilie Godwin

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Ana Mills

Authors
  1. Emilie Godwin
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  2. Ana Mills
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Mills .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Jeffrey S. Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation, Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Independent Practice, Wynnewood, PA, USA

    Bruce Caplan

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Cite this entry

Godwin, E., Mills, A. (2018). Therapist-Patient Relationship. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_2057

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