ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we outline our ongoing project using conversation analysis to examine clinical examples of alliance ruptures and their repair. Our methods contrast and complement previous investigations of ruptures by focusing on interactional aspects of such events – how the use of vocal (e.g. grammar, prosody) and non-vocal (e.g., gesture, nodding) elements accomplishes a disruption in the relationship between therapist and client. The three clinical extracts we analyse in the chapter illustrate how our investigations highlight the interactive and sequential nature of ruptures and the repair process and how conversational resources are used to manifest stress and also to mitigate and resolve the situation. Our methods show promise to better understand the nature of different kinds of ruptures (induced by withdrawal or opposition), highlight the interactive nature of the process (whether it is triggered by the client or the therapist) and potentially offer a useful perspective of how “alliance management” unfolds in the clinical context.
