Common Factors: The Therapist & Genuineness
What Are Common Factors?
Common factors are important factors or ingredients that make therapy and the therapist effective based on research.
These factors can be incorporated into any therapeutic treatment approach/model/framework.
Why The Therapist & Genuineness is Important
Clients can pick up whether a clinician is putting on an act or just being themselves. Genuineness is a strength.
Moreover, some therapists are better at therapy than others. That is, the therapist as the individual also matters.
This can include:
Building rapport with clients quickly
Clear and concise communication skills
Empathy
Self awareness and self reflective
Critical thinking
Creativity
Responding to disagreements, ruptures, and conflicts skillfully and in service of the therapy and client
Engaging in lifelong learning, training, and consultation
Ability to pick up on patterns, dynamics, and themes
Genuineness, authenticity, and congruence
And more
Congruence
When the inside matches the outside
When what you say matches what you feel
When you don’t need to code switch or pretend
Congruence leads to a stronger relationship and therapeutic alliance
Congruence is sustainable
Congruence is less exhausting and tiring
Clients (and people in general) enjoy congruence AKA realness
Questions To Reflect On
How does genuineness and authenticity help or not help clients with attachment/relational issues?
How is genuineneness and authenticity powerful?
How can I incorporate more parts of myself into the therapeutic relationship?
Do I want to incorporate more parts of myself into the therapeutic relationship?
What are my feelings and thoughts around genuineness and authenticity in therapy?
What prevents me from being more of my authentic self with clients?
How do I handle disagreements, conflicts, and ruptures?
What is my relationship to vulnerability?
What would it be like for me to be seen by clients?
What would it be like to have clients experience me just as I am?
Do I wear a mask or facade when conducting therapy?
Do I wear a mask or facade with certain people in my life?
Do I wear a mask or facade in certain settings in my life?
In my own personal therapy, have I found genuineness helpful?
What’s my relationship to self disclosure?
How do I define self disclosure?
And more
Statements And Questions You Can Try Out
Just showing up as you are (your entire self)
Self disclosuing judiciously if you believe it will help the client clinically
Naming and exploring things in the therapy room as they occur (process oriented therapy)
Asking questions in your own real way (not a manufactured script you learned)
Allowing yourself to laugh at something funny
Allowing yourself to cry at something painful or sad
Confronting the client gently
Challenging the client with compassion
Asking for permission to share a truth/reality
Can I share something with you I’ve been thinking of?
Can I be truthful with you?
How are you contributing to this issue/problem?
What are you getting out of things staying the same?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe…I believe…
I’m not sure I truly believe what you are saying. I’m sensing…
Do you believe what you’re saying?
Let’s challenge this…