The Responsive Psychotherapist

This book examines how psychotherapists can be appropriately responsive to clients' unique needs across a variety of therapeutic approaches by saying or doing the right thing at the right time. Expert contributors from a variety of theoretical orientations synthesize key research and identify common factors across these approaches along with their unique contributions to the field of psychology. Chapters first explore important broad concepts and strategies, including therapists attuning to their clients' needs, examining the importance of the therapeutic relationship, the role clinicians play as attachment figures for their clients, and repairing ruptures in the working alliance. Building from this foundation, chapters then examine specific types of therapy in detail, including psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, emotion-focused therapy, control-mastery theory, narrative therapy, attachment-based family therapy for LGBTQ individuals and their nonaccepting caregivers, and integrative therapies. Authors review strategies for responding to specific client markers, cultural diversity considerations, guidance for training and supervision, and directions for future research. Clinical case examples enrich the material, demonstrating the dos and don'ts of responsiveness with diverse clients.