Therapeutic Alliance

3. Studies show that the therapeutic alliance is a strong predictor of treatment outcome. (Cabaniss, 2012). The therapeutic alliance is extremely important. It is this trust that is developed through the working alliance that allows the therapist and client to work together. I believe that being able to connect and engage with a client is critical because it can predict the willingness and ability of a client to change. People are more likely to succeed if they feel accepted, welcomed, and that they are being treated with dignity and respect. According to Teyber & Teyber (2016) the therapist’s ability to establish a successful working alliance in the initial sessions has emerged as a strong predictor of effective treatment outcomes in both

Being aware of how we connect with our clients and the personal skills needed to gain their trust is important. Clients will send us hidden messages that help us grade our working alliance with then. Some possible ways to evaluate the therapeutic alliance are; if a client misses therapy appointments, is coming late to therapy sessions, and not engaging are clear signs that more work needs to be done in strengthening the working alliance. If the client feels safe and understood by the therapist they are likely to stay in therapy and be successful. On the other hand, having clients that do not miss an appointment, are eager to come to therapy and are engaged during the session gives us a clear idea of where we are in our working alliance. It is important for therapists to evaluate their work with clients and make adjustments if needed. According to Archer (2017) for alliance to build, the therapist needs to be flexible and not hold tightly to an agenda. Priority is placed on collaborating with the person in therapy to establish and maintain the therapeutic relationship. A therapist that understands the importance of the therapeutic alliance has a deep interest in their client as an individual.

Julian was my first client at my internship and I was incredibly nervous when I met with him. I was to preoccupied with saying the right thing and making him like me that I was not present. This was also my first time working with an autistic male client. I was afraid that I was not going to connect with Julian. According to Teyber & Teyber (2016) therapist’s concern about making mistakes often prevents them from becoming more actively involved and responsive as most clients need and want. Another factor that affected our ability to establish a therapeutic alliance was the fact that Julian was being forced by his mother to go to therapy. He had no idea that he was coming to meet with a therapist the first time we met. This made it difficult for us to connect. I have also come to the realization that the length of time that I will have in the agency plays an important role in developing a therapeutic alliance. In our first session I have to let Julia know that I will be interim at Centro Bienestar for a year. I believe this is a factor that greatly damages the relationship. Julian know that I will be in Centro Bienestar for a short period of