Repairing Ruptures in the Therapeutic Alliance

This workshop presents an integrative, transtheoretical approach to recognizing and addressing alliance ruptures in a way that strengthens the working alliance and facilitates corrective experiences. The presenters will discuss withdrawal ruptures (movements away) and confrontation ruptures (movements against) and the interpersonal and intrapersonal markers therapists can use to help them recognize when a rupture is occurring. The presenters will discuss strategies for repairing ruptures: immediate strategies for renegotiating tasks, and exploratory strategies that employ metacommunication to process the relational needs underlying a rupture will be addressed. The presenters will also discuss the impact of telehealth on working with ruptures.

• Identify markers of withdrawal and confrontation ruptures.
• Apply exploratory strategies to address alliance ruptures.

Catherine Eubanks, PhD, and J. Christopher Muran, PhD