ABSTRACT
The importance of the therapeutic relationship in therapy outcomes has been well documented, and evidence shows that the therapeutic alliance is the biggest predictor of outcome in psychotherapy. The therapist achieves this by adopting a therapeutic stance of openness, curiosity and authenticity, conveying a genuine desire to understand and work with the client to share the tools of therapy and allow them to adopt these as their own. The therapist needs to be alert to how reciprocal roles and reciprocal role procedures may operate within therapy, and take steps to work with these throughout the therapy process. The importance of the therapeutic relationship in therapy outcomes has been well documented, and evidence shows that the therapeutic alliance is the biggest predictor of outcome in psychotherapy. The collaborative nature of Cognitive Analytic Therapy, its unique use of the shared tools of reformulation and the open discussion of the therapeutic relationship allows the exploration of these issues in a safe therapeutic space.
