Using the DMM–AAI to overcome ruptures in therapeutic alliance

Abstract

This article discusses a university counselling case in which an Adult Attachment Interview based on the Dynamic-Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM–AAI), was used to overcome ruptures in a therapeutic alliance. A female client in her thirties came to see the counsellor to change her workaholic lifestyle; however, she soon developed erotic transference towards the counsellor. Because of countertransference, the counsellor proposed termination too early which she almost accepted due to her difficulty in reflecting on her past, and the alliance was ruptured. However, the administration of the DMM–AAI allowed the client to gain awareness of the reason for her seeking to terminate her counselling early; that is, a fear of losing her counsellor, which she realised had been a recurring fear in her past relationships. It also allowed the counsellor to renew his empathy towards the client. The present article discusses the effects and features of the DMM–AAI that made it possible to overcome the ruptures in the therapeutic alliance and proposes that it would be interesting to explore how its use during the therapeutic process can facilitate reflective processes in both client and clinician, particularly when the therapeutic alliance is at risk.