Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2025
Publisher
Wiley
Source Publication
Counseling & Psychotherapy Research
Source ISSN
1473-3145
Original Item ID
DOI: 10.1002/capr.12887
Abstract
Background
Accommodating clients' preferences is a cornerstone of evidence-based practice. However, little is known of clients' preferences for their therapists' relational styles.
Methods
We conducted a secondary analysis focused on identifying clients' preferences for their therapists' relational styles, using original data from Cooper et al.'s (2023) consensual qualitative research (CQR) study. Initial data collection involved conducting semi-structured interviews with a cohort of 13 clients who had completed up to 24 sessions of pluralistic psychotherapy. Of these participants, 10 identified as female and three identified as male.
Findings
Four themes and six sub-themes emerged: (1) Clients preferred their therapist to be active/not passively disengaged and to provide input, challenge and guidance (n = 10); (2) Clients preferred their therapist to display relatedness, warmth and validation (n = 8); (3) Clients preferred some flexibility, attunement and for their therapist to adapt the therapy to their unique needs (n = 5); (4) Clients preferred to be listened to, having a space to talk and to explore (n = 4).
Implications for Practice
The themes offer insights that can serve as a foundational framework for future research and contribute to the development of training programmes tailored to enhance counselling psychologists' preference work and relational styles.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Di Malta, Gina; Cooper, Mick; Oddli, Hanne; Swift, Joshua K.; and Knox, Sarah, "Clients' Preferences for Their Therapists' Relational Styles in Psychotherapy: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study" (2025). College of Education Faculty Research and Publications. 625.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/edu_fac/625
Comments
Published version. Counseling & Psychotherapy Research, Vol. 25, No. 1 (March 2025). DOI. © 2025 The Author(s).
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.