Abstract
The paper asserts that the personal and professional rewards of the therapeutic relationship go beyond material gain. The paper relates that although more reliance on medications and behavioral modification techniques such as psychotherapy continue to be more and more of a factor in the treatment of mental illnesses, it is ultimately the attitude of the individual that determines the type of reward reaped. The paper also discusses how more often than not, the individual patient has had previous experience in an institutional setting, and this prior exposure may perhaps be the main determinant whether an individual commits to long-term mental health treatment and continuity of care or not. Additionally, the paper discusses how the feeling of "giving back" can also be a strong motivator for some nurses to continue to rely on therapeutic relationships that emphasize positive transference and thus serve to strengthen ongoing treatment.

From the Paper
"The nurse-patient therapeutic relationship is the psychosocial bond that fosters and nurtures the healing of a patient. The therapeutic relationship between a patient and his psychiatric nurse is a special bond between human beings that possesses several unique attributes, from the development of trust, providing a safe retreat from the world where the patient will not be judged or directed, but encouraged to learn and participate in his/her own healing (Charnofsky, 2001). This relationship is founded on a trust that is rooted deeply in the traditions of..."

Tags:nursing, therapeutic, relationship

Abstract
This paper examines how the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship is the psychosocial bond that fosters and nurtures the healing of a patient. The paper asserts that the therapeutic relationship between a patient and his psychiatric nurse is a special bond between human beings that possesses several unique attributes, founded on a trust that is rooted deeply in the traditions of professional health care. It discusses compassion which, when practiced by mental health professionals, has the potential to facilitate healing as well as impede it. The paper concludes that, although more reliance on medications and behavioral modification techniques such as psychotherapy continue to be more and more of a factor in the treatment of mental illnesses, it is ultimately the attitude of the individual that determines the patient's progress towards healing.

Outline:
Introduction
Significance to Nurses
Significance to Patient and Family
Transference
Continuity of Care
Reflections
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The significance of the therapeutic relationship to the patient and family is that it provides them with a means to connect with the health care staff not only in terms of treatment of the patient, but also in terms of establishing a means by which patient and nurse can relate on even terms. Rapport with the patient's family further establishes a link with the patient outside the hospital. This is beneficial especially in situations where patients are far from easy access to health institutions where primary care for their condition is being given. (Forchuk, Reynolds, Sharkey, Martin & Jensen, 2007)"

Tags:therapy, psychiatry, rapport

Abstract
This paper focuses on the important role of the therapeutic relationship in mental health therapy, asserting that this relationship is the single greatest component of the therapy process and is necessary to facilitate treatment. The paper examines the characteristics of relationships formed between clients and mental health professionals, with the purpose of defining and describing the mental health professional's role and responsibilities in establishing a successful relationship.

From the Paper
"The therapeutic relationship is the single greatest component of the therapy process (Gerstein, 1999; Corey & Corey, 2005). It is recognized that therapy is facilitated through guidance, and while much of this guidance can eventually be self-directed by the client, the initial therapy process is dependent upon the strength, commitment, and direction provided to the client by the mental health professional (Collins, Jordan, & Coleman, 1999). If the client and the mental health professional are unable to form a successful working relationship, this guidance will not ..."

Tags:social, mental, health, treatment, psychiatry

Abstract
This paper studies the characteristics of relationships that are formed between clients and mental health professionals. It defines and describes the mental health professional's role and responsibilities in establishing a successful relationship with the client. The paper also looks at the characteristics that the mental health nurse must possess in order to be successful in her position.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Role and Relationship
Therapeutic Skills
Trust and Commitment
Suspension of Moral Judgment
Empathy
Freedom to Speak Openly
Legal Limitations on Therapeutic Counseling
Problematic Relationships
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Additionally, the mental health professional must work to maintain a professional relationship with the client that is built on objective, empathic recognition of the client's past and current histories, which will help facilitate insight into how and why the client makes specific decisions and how the client frames his or her relationships with others. Limitations imposed by professional standards and the obligations that the therapist has towards the client also serve to define their roles. When this is accomplished, the mental health professional can empower the client with autonomous self-directed decision-making skills, which in turn give the client the ability to make progress when he or she is not currently engaged in the therapy process."

Tags:therapy, trust, empathy, counseling

Abstract
The paper studies the characteristics of relationships formed between clients and mental health professionals, with the purpose of defining and describing the mental health professional's role and responsibilities in establishing a successful relationship. The paper looks at the importance of a relationship built on trust, integrity, reliability and empathic recognition of the client's past and current histories. The paper discusses the goal of empowering the client with autonomous self-directed decision-making skills.

Outline:
Introduction
Trust and Commitment
Suspension of Moral Judgment
Empathy
Freedom to Speak Openly
Problematic Relationships
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The therapeutic relationship is the single greatest component of the therapy process (Gerstein, 1999; Corey & Corey, 2005). It is recognized that therapy is facilitated through guidance, and while much of this guidance can eventually be self-directed by the client, the initial therapy process is dependent upon the strength, commitment, and direction provided to the client by the mental health professional (Collins, Jordan, & Coleman, 1999). If the client and the mental health professional are unable to form a successful working relationship, this guidance will not occur and the overall amount of progress made during therapy will be severely hindered, if indeed it is able to be achieved at all (Turner, 1996)."

Tags:trust, integrity, commitment, empathy

Abstract
This paper discusses the importance of a therapeutic alliance for treatment. It explores the ability of clinical psychologists to improve the health of the therapeutic relationship between a therapist and patient. It then explores the appropriateness of the Helping Alliance Questionnaire-2 (HAQ-2) as an instrument for measuring psychologist ability to assess the therapeutic relationship.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: Therapeutic Relationship or Client-Therapist Attachment?
Understanding the Elements of the Therapeutic Relationship
Understanding Client-Therapist Attachment
Comparing and Contrasting the Therapeutic Relationship and Client-Therapist Attachment
Research Rationale
Part 2: Assessing Measurement Instruments
Relationship Measurement Instruments
The Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ-2)
Reliability and Validity of the HAQ-2
Comparison with Other Instruments
Limitations of the HAQ-2
Appropriateness of the HAQ-2 for the Intended Study

From the Paper
"When one considers all of the variables associated with selection of the research instrument and the desired outcomes of the intended research, the HAQ-2 stands out as the most obvious choice. The HAQ-2 has many advantages over other research instruments for this study. One of the key considerations is ease of administration. It is short and only takes a few minutes to complete. This is a key reason for ruling out other research instruments, such as the BLRI. The WAI is another possibility, but it does not allow the potential for direct comparison of client and patient results for the same session."

Tags:therapist, client, treatment

Abstract
The writer describes a personal clinical experience that involved care for Mrs. A who had been admitted with a lump in her breast. The writer explains that the patient was very certain that the outcome would be breast cancer and that she would need to have the breast removed. The writer describes the establishment of a strong therapeutic relationship with Mrs. A. and feels that this relationship was maintained by communicating empathy, trust and respect. The writer maintains that this was an ideal situation of therapeutic communication.

From the Paper
"During my clinical experience, I cared for Mrs. A who had been admitted with a lump in her breast. She was very certain that the outcome would be breast cancer and that she would need to have the breast removed. She was in a state of real anxiety and was going through a high level of stress. I felt that I had established a strong therapeutic relationship with Mrs. A. I also felt that I maintained this therapeutic relationship by communicating empathy, trust, and respect. I asked open-ended questions, and was careful to demonstrate an interest in Mrs. A through attentive ..."

Tags:therapeutic, listening, breakdown

Abstract
The paper provides an overview of the relationship between therapeutic alliance and retention with reference to the underlying influence of attachment theory. The paper aims to discover how the therapeutic alliance is perceived by the patient and the therapist and how this perception impacts the decision to continue with therapy, change the procedure or to change to another therapist. A brief overview of the history and significance of the therapeutic alliance is offered as well as a look at the attachment theory. The paper concludes that the therapeutic alliance is an essential component in the positive outcomes of therapy as well as in retention.

Outline:
Introduction
Brief Background to the Understanding of Therapeutic Alliance
The Value of Therapeutic Alliance and its Relationship to Retention
Attachment Theory
Conclusion: The Question of Client and Therapist Perceptions of Therapeutic Alliance

From the Paper
"In 1934, Sterba defined alliance as the relationship between the reasonable aspects of both the therapist and the client. (Sterba, 1934) Therefore, in order to enable positive outcomes and retention, the client's ego "...needed to be strengthened in its interactions with the therapist" (Delaney, 2006). This process was facilitated by an intense form of understanding and cooperation between therapist and client. The concept of alliance was therefore seen as an indispensable process, whereby the client would accept or acquiesce to the therapist's view and insight into the particular problem, which in turn would increase the likelihood of positive outcomes to the therapy.
"The view of therapeutic alliance was taken further by therapists such as Zetzel, Rogers and Greenson in the 1950s and 1960s. These therapists advanced beyond the theory of transference towards an understanding of the therapeutic alliance as a conscious process, which leads to the development of a situation of trust and cooperation between the client and the therapist."

Tags:patient, client, therapist, relationship, Bowlby, Freud

Abstract
The writer relates that caring requires commitment, knowledge and skills which seemed very complex at first, however, this writer learned to observe the connections between the purpose of the nurse-client relationship and communication strategies and skills. The writer discusses how therapeutic communication strategies are used to learn of the client's needs and concerns and therapeutic communication is essential in nursing for the sake of information, support, and empowering clients so that they can cope with their situation.

From the Paper
"Caring requires commitment, knowledge and skills which seemed very complex at first. However, I learned to observe the connections between the purpose of the nurse-client relationship and communication strategies and skills. Therapeutic communication strategies are used to learn of the client's needs and concerns. Therapeutic communication is essential in nursing for the sake of information, support, and empowering clients so that they can cope with their situation. The nurse-client relationship is the very center of nursing and does not happen automatically but instead is intentionally established by the..."

Tags:nurse, client, communication

Abstract
This paper shows how mental health nurses talk extensively about the relationship between the nurse and the patient and the use of this relationship. It is suggested that this relationship is a therapeutic one and this term is often used in the patients' care planning. The paper questions what exactly nurses want to achieve in this nurse-patient relationship. The author of the paper suggests that one of the primary goals of this relationship should be to move power and control to the patient. Perhaps this could be seen as the objective or end goal of the relationship. The writer also suggests that mental health nurses often inadvertently remove control and power from the patient through the inappropriate use of this relationship. Several power theories, put forth by experts in the field such as Barnett and Hildegard Peplau, are discussed in relation to the writer's developing philosophy of nursing and own practice as a psychiatric nurse.

From the Paper
"Taking the time to know the patient is part of enabling empowerment and this is shown in the nurse-patient relationship through Peplau's (1997) theory of interpersonal relations. Peplau discusses the nurse-patient relationship as requiring three phases to achieve a therapeutic value. This involves an interpersonal knowing between the nurse and the patient. There are three phases to Peplau's framework: orientation, working, and termination phases. This writer suggests that in order to move the relationship from the orientation phase to the working phase, the nurse must identify issues of power and control in the relationship. Forchuk et al (1998) cites the relationship as powerful when moving through this transition to the working phase. This involves the nurse being consistent, available and valuing trust in the relationship."

Tags:institutionalization, orientation, communication