Client Contributions in Psychotherapy

In Client Contributions in Psychotherapy, guest experts Drs. Jairo Fuertes, Kathryn Kline, Amy Greaves, and Heidi Levitt focus on the client’s part in the psychotherapy process.

The experts discuss the importance of recognizing clients’ expertise in their own lives and allowing them the space to generate their innate capacity for self‑healing. They offer fresh insights into clients’ experiences and offer guidelines for how therapists can capitalize on clients’ knowledge, skills, and strengths to build the therapeutic alliance and ensure transformational change. After viewing Dr. Kline’s powerful session with a client, the experts identify various client capacities present in the session and how those contribute to the development of rapport within the session.

The topic Client Contributions in Therapy argues for the importance of recognizing clients’ expertise in their own lives and allowing them the space to generate their innate capacity for self‑healing. Having fresh insights into clients’ experiences offers guidelines for how therapists can capitalize on clients’ knowledge, skills, and strengths to build the therapeutic alliance and ensure transformational change.

Jairo N. Fuertes, PhD, ABPP, LMHC, is professor of psychology in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University and clinical assistant professor of medicine in the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

Kathryn Kline, PhD, completed her doctorate in counseling psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2020. Currently, she is a psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC, treating adult patients in individual psychotherapy. Dr. Kline is also a supervisor for the Maryland Psychotherapy Clinic and Research Laboratory.

Amy Greaves, PhD, completed her PhD from the University of Southern California and continued her training at Stanford University completing an internship, post-doctoral residency and then working there as a staff psychologist. In addition to private practice, for the last 20 years she has worked in hospital outpatient and community mental health clinics, university counseling centers, and as a clinical professor.

Heidi M. Levitt, PhD, is a professor in the clinical psychology program of the Department of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research foci include psychotherapy process and outcome (e.g., principles for in-session change, clients' experience, therapist intentionality), LGBTQ genders, and healing from heterosexism and transphobia.

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