How important is the "fit" between client and therapist?

I believe that both the "fit" and the fitness of the therapist are crucially important. No matter how well-structured the therapy technique, a therapist with an attitude can cause damage with it. And destructive boundary violations can occur within any form of therapy. Perhaps one advantage of DBT would be that in a team approach, it might be more difficult for a therapist to act out without being challenged.

I believe that there is more than one treatment approach that can lead to cure. A respectful, well-balanced, and well-trained therapist practicing any of a variety of established techniques can offer effective help to a client with whom a working alliance has been established. The relationship between patient and therapist and how to assess it is discussed in more detail in Chapter 12 (Being in Treatment) of Lost in the Mirror.

© Dr. Richard Moskovitz

The Problem of Intimacy

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