When did therapeutic alliance make a comeback in CBT?
It has always been an important part of CBT, but not considered the primary change agent in treatment. It has always been assumed that a good therapeutic alliance is necessary for good outcomes in CBT but the process of CBT is considered to develop that therapeutic alliance. For example the Socratic/guided discovery method of questioning helps build the relationship and trust between the clinician and client. Equally the collaborative nature and the emphasis on different skills that the clinician and client bring to the therapy situation, and the de-emphasis on the ‘therapist as expert’, help to build the therapeutic alliance.
