What Every Therapist Must Do
In this week’s post, we will briefly discuss the factors that must be present for a therapeutic alliance to be affective and how both you and your therapist co-create a therapeutic relationship.
Core Conditions in Therapy
The man widely known as the founding father of modern therapy, Carl Rogers identified the core conditions required for a therapeutic relationship to be successful. These core conditions carry over into each therapeutic modality and are a foundational component for growth. The idea behind them is that if the client can experience these core conditions, that they may not experience in the outside world, they will eventually be able to create these conditions within themselves. The three core conditions are created by the therapist and the three hidden conditions come from within the client.
The 3 Core Conditions
Empathy
The therapist works to understand the thoughts and feelings of the client as the client experiences them.
Congruence
The therapist shows up to the therapeutic relationship as their authentic self.
Unconditional Positive Regard
The therapist must create a space in which the client is able to speak openly without fear of judgment. This can also mean being careful with approval/validation so that the client does not feel like certain actions are “right vs wrong”.
The 3 Hidden Conditions
Psychological Contact
For therapy to take place… there must be therapeutic contact!
The Client’s Perception of the Therapist
The client must know that the therapist is genuine and is trying to help them. They must also feel acceptance and trust in order to share openly.
Client Incongruence
There must be a catalyst, whether that be distress, a goal, or any other reason that a client decides to seek out therapy. Without a goal, therapy is unlikely to be effective. This is also why mandated or coerced therapy is unsuccessful in many cases. The client must be driven by their own choice and a desire to see change.
How You Can Play Your Part
Thinking of the 3 Hidden Conditions, here are a few things that you can do to ensure that you are playing your part in the room. For psychological contact - make the appointment! Reach out and set up a consult with a provider to see if they might be the right fit for you. Next, to client’s perception, check in with yourself to see if you feel that your provider is there for you in a genuine way. It is important that you feel acceptance and trust. If any of these areas are lacking, is there something your provider might be able to do? Always provide feedback and/or ask questions if you need. This is your space and it needs to be right for you. Finally, to incongruence, continue to keep your goals in mind. I do not believe that therapy always has to be a place where you only go in times of distress, but I do believe that it is important we have a goal in mind so that you are seeing progress and getting closer to thriving in your life!
What might be some things that you notice or have noticed in therapy? Are these common factors present? What might be some ways that you could advocate for your relationship with your provider and see if some feedback could lead to a helpful tweak?
