Therapist Position in Couple and Family Therapy

Name of Concept

Therapist Position.

Introduction

The position that family therapists take in the room with clients begins with an alliance. This is the most important aspect of therapy, and can often determine a beneficial outcome. After a therapeutic bond has been created, there are two stances typically taken by therapists when in the room with a client. Therapists often take a directive position or a nondirective position with clients. The position they take in the room is dependent on multiple things. First and foremost, a client’s safety is the therapists’ number one concern. In a therapy setting when there are not any safety concerns, a therapist’s position is often determined by their worldview and ideas about how change occurs in therapy. This worldview can be broken down into two main categories: modern and postmodern ideas.

Theoretical Context for Concept

Modern Therapy

Modernist therapies are often structured in a way where the therapist is the expert of change and the...