Therapist emotional responses to patients: Building a learning-based language Original Research Article

In this paper we address the thesis that affective responses of the therapist in the therapist-patient interaction are common and have potential to influence decision points in psychotherapy interventions. We discuss the importance of directly addressing these emotional responses, especially in the training of new cognitive behavioral therapists. We suggest a framework for conceptualizing emotional responses from a social learning theory perspective. This conceptualization highlights interactions between therapist, patient, and the psychotherapy context. We also propose a terminology for discussing therapist emotional reactions as nonpathological constructs and propose relevant guidelines for the supervision of therapists in training.