Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesTechniquesWhat Collaborative Therapy Can Help WithBenefitsEffectivenessThings to ConsiderHow to Get Started
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Techniques
What Collaborative Therapy Can Help With
Benefits
Effectiveness
Things to Consider
How to Get Started
Close
Collaborative therapy refers to a form oftherapyin which both the psychologist and the client work together to make decisions about how best to proceed with treatment. It is based on several key principles of practice, including collaboration, accountability, integrity, and respect.
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Types of Collaborative Therapy
Collaborative therapy refers to a philosophical stance toward therapy rather than a type of therapy or therapeutic modality. For this reason, there are no specific forms of collaborative therapy that can be identified. Instead, it is most frequently associated with thehumanistic approachto psychotherapy, which includes therapies such asperson-centered therapyandexistential psychotherapy. These therapies recognize the individual as the expert in their own lives and emphasizeself-efficacy. Establishing a collaborative relationship with a therapist is an essential factor in any successful psychotherapy.
The two major formats of collaborative therapies are client-led and therapist-led.
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Techniques of Collaborative Therapy
Anderson notes that in collaborative therapy, “connecting, collaborating, and constructing with others become authentic and natural performances, not techniques.”
Although present in many approaches to psychotherapy, there are seven ideas that are emphasized and guide collaborative therapists on how to think about the therapeutic relationship:
However, these are not rules or techniques, and each therapist can be creative and devise their own methods of therapy for each individual client.
Collaborative therapy is not designed to help with any specific disorder. It is a method of transformation that can be applied to any problem the client is experiencing.
Instead of trying to find solutions for specific problems, it helps clients become aware of how they are thinking about their problems, which can then help them take control of their own feelings and behaviors.
Collaborative therapy may be particularly helpful for individuals who have not had success in therapy in the past due to alack of trustfor their therapist. The client’s ideas are always respected in this therapeutic approach, and the client is never judged or blamed for their feelings or behaviors.
Collaborative therapy is a client-centered approach that places the emphasis on collaboration, honesty, respect, and empowerment for both therapist and client. By working together as partners in the therapeutic relationship, clients are able to engage in meaningful conversation about what they want to change.
Benefits of Collaborative Therapy
Below is a list of specific benefits unique to collaborative therapy:
People Are Cooperating More Than They Have in Decades
Effectiveness of Collaborative Therapy
Collaborative therapy is a philosophical stance toward therapy rather than a set of therapeutic techniques to be empirically evaluated. As such, given that the methodology can vary greatly, systematic analyses of the effectiveness of collaborative therapy have not been conducted. However, other types of therapy that draw on the collaborative approach, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, do have extensive empirical support.
Collaborative therapy may not be the right approach for every client. Individuals who prefer a structured format or a therapist who is more directive may not respond well to this approach.
In addition, it may be difficult to know whether your therapist is adhering to the principles of collaborative therapy given that there is no manualized instruction of this therapeutic approach.
Are you interested in getting started with collaborative therapy? Below are the steps to getting started:
How to Choose the Best Type of Therapy For You
4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Anderson H.Collaborative relationships and dialogic conversations: ideas for a relationally responsive practice.Fam Process. 2012;51(1):8-24. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01385.xAnderson, H.Collaborative Practice: Performing spontaneously, creatively, and competently.Anderson, Harlene. (2002).Postmodern Collaborative and Person-Centred Therapies: What Would Carl Rogers Say?. Journal of Family Therapy. 23. 339 - 360. 10.1111/1467-6427.00189.Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A.The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 2012;36(5):427-440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
4 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Anderson H.Collaborative relationships and dialogic conversations: ideas for a relationally responsive practice.Fam Process. 2012;51(1):8-24. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01385.xAnderson, H.Collaborative Practice: Performing spontaneously, creatively, and competently.Anderson, Harlene. (2002).Postmodern Collaborative and Person-Centred Therapies: What Would Carl Rogers Say?. Journal of Family Therapy. 23. 339 - 360. 10.1111/1467-6427.00189.Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A.The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 2012;36(5):427-440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Anderson H.Collaborative relationships and dialogic conversations: ideas for a relationally responsive practice.Fam Process. 2012;51(1):8-24. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01385.xAnderson, H.Collaborative Practice: Performing spontaneously, creatively, and competently.Anderson, Harlene. (2002).Postmodern Collaborative and Person-Centred Therapies: What Would Carl Rogers Say?. Journal of Family Therapy. 23. 339 - 360. 10.1111/1467-6427.00189.Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A.The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 2012;36(5):427-440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Anderson H.Collaborative relationships and dialogic conversations: ideas for a relationally responsive practice.Fam Process. 2012;51(1):8-24. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01385.x
Anderson, H.Collaborative Practice: Performing spontaneously, creatively, and competently.
Anderson, Harlene. (2002).Postmodern Collaborative and Person-Centred Therapies: What Would Carl Rogers Say?. Journal of Family Therapy. 23. 339 - 360. 10.1111/1467-6427.00189.
Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A.The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 2012;36(5):427-440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Hannah Owens, LMSW
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