Therapist-Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Counselling for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding the Challenges of the Therapeutic Relationship
Therapist-Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Counselling for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding the Challenges of the Therapeutic Relationship
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Issue Date
2025-12-12
Authors
Robinson, Sydney
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Abstract
This capstone examines the perspectives of mental health practitioners on the challenges of building therapeutic alliances with survivors of intimate partner violence in mental health counselling and how these challenges influence the survivors’ engagement in treatment. From a trauma-informed care framework, this manuscript aims to identify the specific challenges that mental health practitioners encounter when working with survivors, develop an understanding of how they impact treatment participation, and provide recommendations for practitioners to overcome such challenges. The methodology adopted is literature review synthesis and critical analysis. Studies were selected and compiled to determine numerous themes, including practitioner preparedness to work with intimate partner violence survivors, considerations for building therapeutic alliances, specific population considerations, and the influence of practitioner burnout. Trust was found to be one of the most critical factors required for building therapeutic alliances with survivors, and present in almost all themes. The findings of this capstone provide information for mental health practitioners on the challenges and implications of building therapeutic alliances, such that stronger alliances can
support positive therapeutic results. Recommendations for building therapeutic alliances are provided, such as demonstrating empathy and empowering clients to contribute to building trust. Finally, this capstone lays the groundwork for future research that contributes to the limited body of literature specifically looking at the perspectives of mental health practitioners, along with quantitative studies to test the efficacy of strategies to build strong therapeutic alliances.
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Keywords
intimate partner violence (IPV) , IPV survivor , mental health therapy , therapeutic alliance , treatment engagement
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess