Therapeutic Alliance

J. Christopher Muran, PhD, is Associate Dean and Professor at the Derner Instituteof Advanced Psychological Studies and Director of the Psychotherapy Research Program at Beth Israel Medical Center. His research and publications have concentrated on developing intervention and training models relating to the therapeutic alliance. Dr. Muran is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and coeditor of the journal Psychotherapy Research.Jacques P. Barber, PhD, ABPP, is Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus of the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University. He is also Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at New York University and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and in the Graduate Psychology Group at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Barber is past president of the International Society for Psychotherapy Research and a recipient of its Outstanding Early Career Award and Distinguished Research Career Award. He has published more than 300 articles, book chapters, and books on topics including psychodynamic therapy, psychotherapy research, and the therapeutic alliance.

Muran and Barber have assembled a truly all-star cast to address one of the most significant elements in the entire realm of psychotherapy. Representing all of the major theoretical orientations in our field, and demonstrating both clinical sophistication and keen attention to systematic research, these authors show that taking research evidence seriously implies a far broader range of topics and methodologies than are embodied in the restrictive emphasis on testing 'brand-name' packages of manualized treatments or in the rhetoric of 'empirically supported treatments.'--Paul L. Wachtel, PhD, CUNY Distinguished Professor, Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, City College and the Graduate Center, City University of New YorkThis book provides an invaluable and comprehensive review of the state of the evidence on what is arguably the most important common factor to therapy outcome--the therapeutic alliance. Each chapter is written by the leading experts in the field. In addition to excellent chapters on measurement, prediction, change over time, negative experiences, and repair of alliance ruptures, the volume includes important chapters from psychodynamic, interpersonal, cognitive and behavioral, and other perspectives. If you were to buy only one book on psychotherapy this year, you would be hard-pressed to find a better alternative!--Michael E. Thase, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of PennsylvaniaThis is a great book, edited by highly esteemed experts and featuring contributions by the best conceivable authors for this topic. The most current empirical evidence on the therapeutic alliance is reviewed, but the book's greatest value for psychotherapy practitioners, trainers, and trainees of any orientation resides in its recommendations for practice. I highly recommend this volume for anyone who wishes to learn how to establish and improve a therapeutic alliance.--Franz Caspar, PhD, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, SwitzerlandDrawing together leading contributors to psychotherapy research, training, and practice, Muran and Barber provide an unparalleled opportunity to develop a critically balanced, research-informed understanding of key factors that contribute to productive therapeutic alliances in differing therapy approaches. I have no doubt that this book will become an 'instant classic' in the field of psychotherapy, one that will continue to shape alliance research and practice in the years to come.--Lynne E. Angus, PhD, CPsych, Adult Clinical Psychology Graduate Program, York University, Canada- Present[s] a wealth of evidence-based, thought-provoking material for all therapists who value, and want to deepen, their client relationships. --Healthcare, Counselling, and Psychotherapy Journal, 8/13/2010ƒƒ Edited and authored by leading psychotherapy researchers, this book exceeds its aims, and offers readers a comprehensive review of what is known about this important clinical concept....A multitude of both qualitative and quantitative studies are deftly presented here. This is an authoritative review of a specialist area, and should be a reference text for psychotherapists of all backgrounds. It will also be of interest to any psychiatrist who wants to appraise their own alliance-forming skills. --British Journal of Psychiatry, 11/3/2011ƒƒ“Most notable and useful for clinical social workers is the qualitative research presented on negative experiences in psychotherapy, as well as alliance ruptures and resolution. This research provides important data that can guide therapists in working effectively with clients around negative events that occur in the therapeutic relationship….The appeal of this book is that it brings together much of the research, theory and practice considerations relating to the therapeutic alliance in a way that is highly readable and accessible to clinical social workers and other mental health practitioners. Though other books have been published on this subject…this book is set apart by its critical review and application of research on the therapeutic relationship up to this point. Muran and Barber achieve their goal of translating ‘the latest scientific knowledge into practical guidelines that clinicians of any orientation can use to optimize the alliance.’”--Clinical Social Work Journal, 1/16/2014

• An Introduction: Establishing the Context and Rationale, J. Christopher Muran and Jacques P. BarberI. Critical Studies of the Therapeutic Alliance 1. Alliance Theory and Measurement, Robert L. Hatcher 2. The Validity of the Alliance as a Predictor of Psychotherapy Outcome, Jacques P. Barber, Shabad-Ratan Khalsa, and Brian A. Sharpless 3. The Alliance over Time, William B. Stiles and Jacob Z. Goldsmith 4. Qualitative Studies of Negative Experiences in Psychotherapy, Clara E. Hill 5. Alliance Ruptures and Resolution, Catherine Eubanks-Carter, J. Christopher Muran, and Jeremy D. SafranII. Practice and the Therapeutic Alliance 6. A Psychodynamic Perspective on the Therapeutic Alliance: Theory, Research, and Practice, Stanley B. Messer and David L. Wolitzky 7. An Interpersonal Perspective on Therapy Alliances and Techniques, Lorna Smith Benjamin and Kenneth L. Critchfield 8. The Therapeutic Alliance in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Louis G. Castonguay, Michael J. Constantino, Andrew A. McAleavey, and Marvin R. Goldfried 9. A Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) Approach to the Therapeutic Alliance, Mavis Tsai, Robert J. Kohlenberg, and Jonathan W. Kanter 10. The Therapeutic Alliance in Humanistic Psychotherapy, Jeanne C. Watson and Freda Kalogerakos 11. Therapeutic Alliances in Couple Therapy: The Web of Relationships, Adam O. Horvath, Dianne Symonds, and Luis Tapia 12. Therapeutic Alliances and Alliance Building in Family Therapy, Valentín Escudero, Laurie Heatherington, and Myrna L. Friedlander 13. The Therapeutic Alliance in Group Therapy, William E. Piper and John S. OgrodniczukIII. Training Programs on the Therapeutic Alliance 14. Developing Skills in Managing Negative Process, Jeffrey L. Binder and William P. Henry 15. Training in Alliance-Fostering Techniques, Paul Crits-Christoph, Katherine Crits-Christoph, and Mary Beth Connolly Gibbons 16. Developing Therapist Abilities to Negotiate Alliance Ruptures, J. Christopher Muran, Jeremy D. Safran, and Catherine Eubanks-Carter 17. Coda: Recommendations for Practice and Training, Brian A. Sharpless, J. Christopher Muran, and Jacques P. Barber