Beneath the Surface of Long-Term Therapy: Therapist and Client Report of Their Own and Each Other's Covert Processes

• Published in: Journal of counseling psychology 1993-07, Vol.40 (3), p.278-287
• Main Authors: Hill, Clara E, Thompson, Barbara J, Cogar, Mary C, Denman, Daniel W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Avoidance; Biological and medical sciences; Client Characteristics (Human Services); Clients; Counseling; Counselor Attitudes; Counselor Characteristics; Counselor Client Relationship; Human; Interpersonal Communication; Long term effects; Medical sciences; Perceptions; Psychologists; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapeutic Processes; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Psychotherapy; Social research; Therapist-Client relationships; Therapists; Therapy; Treatments
• ISSN: 0022-0167; 1939-2168
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.40.3.278

Therapists and clients reported on their own and their perceptions of each other's covert processes in long-term therapy. Therapists had a match rate of .45 for client reactions, with therapists rating match on therapeutic work reactions as helpful. Although 65% of clients left something unsaid (primarily because of avoidance), only 27% of therapists were able to match what clients left unsaid. Of the clients, 46% had secrets (often sexual), primarily because of shame or insecurity. Clients had a match rate of .50 for therapist intentions, with therapists rating match on exploratory and restructuring intentions as helpful and both clients and therapists rating match on assessment intentions as not helpful. Thus, awareness of the other's covert processes had an effect on therapy.