The Therapeutic Alliance in Brief Psychotherapy

A combination of social, political, and economic factors has led to the current surge of interest in brief psychotherapy. The Therapeutic Alliance in Brief Psychotherapy is the first book to examine systematically the role of the therapeutic alliance in short-term psychotherapy and to address the implications of the short-term framework for the alliance: How do the time limitations affect the relationship between therapist and client? How do therapist and client determine the focus of their work together? How does the therapist deal with ruptures in the working alliance and with the pressure of termination issues? The chapter authors each consider the same questions regarding the therapeutic alliance as it pertains to their respective area, which enables the reader to better understand the similarities and differences among these varying approaches. The Therapeutic Alliance in Brief Psychotherapy explores both theory and technique and will be of interest to clinicians of all orientations.