Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients

At a time when men are seeking therapeutic support at increased levels, identifying and responding to the type of engagement sought by male clients increases the possibility for stronger engagement and retention of men in therapy. This highlights the importance of the perceived challenges of engagin...

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Main Author: Michael W. Ellwood
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia 2024-05-01
Series:Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.59158/001c.116699
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author Michael W. Ellwood
author_facet Michael W. Ellwood
author_sort Michael W. Ellwood
collection DOAJ
description At a time when men are seeking therapeutic support at increased levels, identifying and responding to the type of engagement sought by male clients increases the possibility for stronger engagement and retention of men in therapy. This highlights the importance of the perceived challenges of engaging and working with male clients, particularly in attempting to overcome the temptation to label such clients as “resistant”. In 1988, Steve de Shazer and the Brief Family Therapy Centre proposed that clients present seeking different levels of therapeutic engagement (visitor, complainant, and customer relationships). A more recent solution-focused model originating in Bruges has suggested similar levels of engagement between client and practitioner (uncommitted, searching, consultant, and expert relationships; Isebaert, 2016). This paper compares and discusses the two models of therapeutic engagement levels and considers the clinical implications of these for working therapeutically with male clients.
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spelling doaj-art-f80bc85e8437495c8cd165b89cab01e42025-08-20T03:05:38ZengPsychotherapy and Counselling Federation of AustraliaPsychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia2201-70892024-05-0112110.59158/001c.116699Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male ClientsMichael W. EllwoodAt a time when men are seeking therapeutic support at increased levels, identifying and responding to the type of engagement sought by male clients increases the possibility for stronger engagement and retention of men in therapy. This highlights the importance of the perceived challenges of engaging and working with male clients, particularly in attempting to overcome the temptation to label such clients as “resistant”. In 1988, Steve de Shazer and the Brief Family Therapy Centre proposed that clients present seeking different levels of therapeutic engagement (visitor, complainant, and customer relationships). A more recent solution-focused model originating in Bruges has suggested similar levels of engagement between client and practitioner (uncommitted, searching, consultant, and expert relationships; Isebaert, 2016). This paper compares and discusses the two models of therapeutic engagement levels and considers the clinical implications of these for working therapeutically with male clients.https://doi.org/10.59158/001c.116699
spellingShingle Michael W. Ellwood
Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients
Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia
title Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients
title_full Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients
title_fullStr Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients
title_full_unstemmed Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients
title_short Levels of Therapeutic Relationship When Working With Male Clients
title_sort levels of therapeutic relationship when working with male clients
url https://doi.org/10.59158/001c.116699
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