Cognitive therapists, like other therapists, use conceptualisations to tackle interpersonal and alliance issues

This chapter describes how from time to time ‘interpersonal markers’ may arise in therapy that indicates that the client’s, and sometimes the therapist’s, beliefs and schemas are being acted out in the therapeutic process. The author uses an example of a client who interpreted the therapist giving him instant coffee as meaning that he was not ‘special’. Further description shows how the exploration of this incident was related to the client’s core beliefs and was then ‘worked through’ using the methods of cognitive therapy.