![\"Couples](\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tips-for-choosing-and-working-with-a-relationship-therapist.jpg.jpg\" "\\"5")
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While there are many approaches to therapy that can be effective, there is a basis in <\/span>research for <\/span>the importance of a good alliance with the relationship therapist as a prerequisite for change and a strong predictor of outcomes<\/b> in all <\/span>types of therapy<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n How clients feel about that alliance<\/span><\/a> is the most important variable.<\/span><\/p>\n When trying to find the right counselor, who can facilitate working through relationship problems, and provide effective therapy for relationship issues,<\/span> couples try to determine if they believe the therapist will be able to meet their needs.<\/b><\/p>\n A good therapist-client alliance is not only important at engaging clients in therapy, but it can also strengthen peoples’ ability to trust and form a sense of security with their own relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n Some of the factors that have been shown in <\/span>research<\/span><\/a> to help with therapeutic alliance <\/span>are <\/span>both the therapist and clients’ willingness to be open and the clients’ sense of <\/b>feeling heard, understood, and respected.<\/b><\/p>\n Clients need to feel that the <\/span>relationship therapist sees them in a positive light and notices their strengths, offering encouragement rather than any kind of judgment or blame.<\/b> This can be difficult when there are two or more clients and they are pitted against each other with differing views.<\/span><\/p>\n Most seasoned relationship therapists avoid an alliance with one client over the other<\/b> unless there are obvious problems that need to be addressed such as abuse or <\/span>drug addiction <\/span>impacting the relationship<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Clients, who have vastly different views on the “problem” who are both <\/span>seeking validation from the therapist<\/span>, may be defensive about the relationship therapist validating both clients’ views in the room.<\/span><\/p>\n The necessary willingness to be open can be challenged by one or both members not trusting one another or the therapist.<\/span><\/p>\n For this reason, it can help to understand at the outset that building a trusting relationship between the therapist and both parties is necessary, to allow clients to be patient in this process.<\/span><\/p>\n In one perspective, <\/span>Emotion Focused Couples’ Therapy<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>there is often one member of <\/b>the couple who feels they are in a hurt position and <\/b>tends to blame<\/b><\/a>, while the other feels <\/b>criticized and tends to withdraw<\/b>, then the withdrawing behavior becomes the focus of <\/span>the blame and the cycle continues.<\/span><\/p>\n Also watch:<\/p>\n<\/span>Clients evaluate the therapeutic relationship<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Build a trusting relationship
![\"Couple](\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/build-a-trusting-relationship-between-the-therapist-and-both-parties.jpg\" "\\"Build")
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