Interpersonal Process in Psychotherapy

Part 1 An interpersonal process approach: introduction and overview; the need for a conceptual framework; the interpersonal process approach; theoretical and historical context; basic premises; client diversity and response specificity; model of therapy; limitations and aims; suggestions for further reading. Part 2 Responding to clients: establishing a working alliance; conceptual overview; chapter organization; a collaborative relationship; balancing directive and nondirective initiatives; beginning the initial interview; understanding the client; clients do not feel understood or affirmed; demonstrating understanding; identifying recurrent themes; facilitating the collaborative alliance by means of process comments; performance anxieties; care and understanding as preconditions of change; closing; suggestions for further reading. Part 3 Honouring the client's resistance; conceptual overview; chapter organization; reluctance to address resistance; the therapist's reluctance; the client's reluctance; identifying and conceptualizing resistance; identifying resistance; formulating working hypotheses; responding to resistance; resistance during the initial telephone contact; resistance at the end of the first session; resistance during subsequent sessions; closing; suggestions for further reading. Part 4 An internal focus for change: conceptual overview. chapter organization; shifting to an Internal focus; clients externalizing their problems; focusing clients inward; reluctance to adopt an internal focus; placing the focus of change with clients; using the therapeutic relationship to foster clients' initiative; therapeutic interventions that place clients at the fulcrum of change; enlisting clients in resolving their own conflicts; recapitulating clients' conflicts; providing a corrective emotional experience; tracking clients' anxiety. identifying signs of clients' anxiety; approaching clients' anxiety directly; observing what precipitates clients' anxiety; focusing clients inward to explore their anxiety; closing; suggestions for further reading. Part 5 Responding to conflicted emotions: conceptual overview; chapter organization; responding to clients' conflicted emotions; approaching clients' affect; expanding and elaborating clients' affect; identifying and punctuating the predominant affect; an old wound; multiple stressors; a characterological affect; clients' affective constellations; anger-sadness-shame; sadness-anger-guilt. (Part contents).