ABSTRACT
The standard view of the therapeutic relationship in CBT is that it is necessary to help promote client change but not enough to produce greatest change, this achieved through execution of cognitive and behavioural techniques. These techniques applied to the client's problems that occur outside of therapy, and only applied to the relationship itself when difficulties within it prevent the successful implementation of these. Later developments in CBT viewed 'the relationship as an intervention tool in itself'. Exploring interpersonal processes help the therapist to understand and tackle the issues of transference, countertransference and impasse in the therapeutic relationship which hinder client progress; if some cognitive behavioural therapists object to the psychodynamic terms of transference and countertransference being used in CBT. There is much discussion in the research literature over the relative importance assigned to the relationship or treatment techniques, Leahy suggest 'that assuring the use of cognitive therapy techniques and improving the therapeutic alliance may give the ideal treatment'.
