2017.09.17 Social Work is relational therapy

I just started Common Factors in Couples and Family Therapy (Sprenkle, 2009) and found myself being nourished by the paradigm shift from a techniques specific treatment approach to a client perceived and interpreted collaboration unpredictable to the clinician. The author insists psychological theory is important as the vehicle of delivery of treatment, possibly keeping the therapist focused and honest.

It was amusing to visualize the self inflicted disclaimer and proclamation of innocence regarding a client who declared that the author told her (the client) to leave her marriage while the author (the clinician) thought he bent over backwards to keep the marriage intact. Herein lies the lesson to be learned: our clients take what they need from us, theories guide us through the unknowable conflicts in our clients' minds until the stability of goodwill and our presence allows the clients to blossom in self directed health.

Apparently, Dr. Benson of Beyond the Relaxation Response (1984), found something similar in quoting the Dalai Lama, "Healing depends on three things: (1) the belief of the patient; (2) the belief of the doctor [therapist]; and (3) the karma (or spiritual force generated by their mutual actions) between the doctor and patient." (p. 68)

Our honesty and good will interacting with the good will and need of the client form a life giving relationship for the client.

As much as we would like techniques to be the core of change, techniques are the vehicle through which we act.