Master Therapists’ Construction of the Therapy Relationship

Qualitative research methods were used to elicit master therapists' statements regarding their use and understanding of the therapy relationship. The master therapists were identified and recruited in a previous study (Jennings & Skovholt, 1999) through a procedure used to create a sample of information-rich cases. The result of the analysis is a Model of Relationship Stances. The Safe Relationship Domain is composed of three categories of therapist actions: Responding, Collaborating, and Joining. The Challenging Relationship Domain also is composed of three categories of therapist actions: Using Self, Engaging, and Objectivity. The domains and categories are conceptualized as relationship stances utilized by the master therapists to meet individual client needs.