Building The Alliance: Teaching Emerging Therapists The Skills To Develop Relationships
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Authors
Morrison, Justin
Issue Date
2025-12
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
therapeutic relationship , working alliance , relational skills , counselling pedagogy
Alternative Title
Abstract
This capstone project critically examines the pedagogy of relational skills in counselling training programs. While the history of the therapeutic alliance demonstrates a consistent, reliable correlation between a strong relationship and positive client outcomes, current training models often fail to prioritize the development of these skills. This paper contrasts the limitations of traditional didactic approaches with the necessity of embodied, experiential learning. It further explores how the reliance on academic achievement and subjective expert interviews in candidate selection may reinforce colonial structures and fail to predict clinical efficacy. Recommendations are made for a radical shift in training and accreditation: moving toward objective, evidence-based selection of candidates, mandatory experiential modules for rupture and repair, and a commitment to decolonizing the path to licensure.
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Citation
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License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess