Latest Episode:
Episode 128 - VBT Study Hall: The Therapeutic Alliance
You’ve already heard that the therapeutic alliance is important to client outcomes, but does anyone actually know why? We dig into the research to figure out if ruptures can be a good thing (yes!), what clients and therapists should know about the therapeutic alliance, and why this topic has been fervently researched over the last half-century.
Episode 31 - How Important is Therapist Attachment Style? (with Jon Hook)
Jon Hook, PhD student at Western Michigan University, is contributing to research on how the coding of session transcripts to determine therapist attachment styles can be used to facilitate better client outcomes. He joins us to discuss the significance of therapist attachment and shares his story as a client of two therapeutic alliances that were anything but securely attached.
Episode 26 - “If You Say Yes to This…”
"If you say yes to this, we'll have to end our therapeutic relationship." The context of this quote is explained in this week's episode about therapist self-disclosure, dual relationships, and a much-deserved misconduct report. Seriously y'all, be aware of how your social and political identities have the potential to impact clients and don't burst through boundaries like the Kool-Aid Man. Even Woebot gets sad when therapists act on self-interest.
Episode 9 - Empathy First, Paperwork Later
The quality of the therapeutic alliance is one of the largest predictors of successful therapy. What doesn't help with building rapport? 25 minutes of paperwork to begin every session. Today's guest Meredith shares her challenges in working with a therapist who failed to convey appropriate messages of empathy but felt very strongly about the positive impact of collecting sticks from the ground.