Abstract

Clients can develop feelings of romantic or sexual attraction to their therapists. From a cognitive-behavioral perspective, how should therapists handle these situations? Although the topic of client attraction is comprehensively covered in the psychoanalytic and psychodynamic literature, it is woefully neglected in our cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focused training programs and literature. This paper aims to address this gap by using CBT principles to provide explanations for why clients develop feelings of attraction to their therapists. In addition, this paper offers general guidelines for how to manage client attraction from a CBT perspective. Three case vignettes are used to illustrate those concepts. Recommendations for future research and training in this area are also provided.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.