Abstract

ARANGO CAMMAERT, ANA MARÍA  and  MORENO FRANCO, MIGUEL FERNANDO. BEYOND THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP: A HISTORICAL AND THEORICAL OVERVIEW. Act.Colom.Psicol. [online]. 2009, vol.12, n.2, pp.135-145. ISSN 0123-9155.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between therapist and client from different therapeutic approaches. The study of the therapeutic relationship begins with Freud's studies about transference and counter transference. It continues with modern therapies and finishes with what has been called postmodern therapies. This paper aims at clarifying each orientation's conception of the therapeutic relationship. In order to achieve this purpose, it starts by describing such therapies' approach of the therapeutic relationship. It goes then to examine the family therapies' and the postmodern therapies' understanding about the relationship between therapist and client. Finally, some differences and similarities between the various approaches are discussed in terms of their conception of that construct. The study concludes that the therapeutic relationship is a social construction in constant transformation throughout the therapeutic experience, which is also determined by other disciplines and located in a social and historical context. Each therapeutic approach emphasizes different aspects of the relationship between therapist and client depending on their epistemological background.

Keywords : Therapeutic relationship; modern therapies; family therapies and postmodern therapies.

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