In this short video taken from our ‘Expert tips for ACT’ series Dr Joe Oliver discusses the two key ingredients of excellent therapy; connection and challenge.
- Connection – When the therapist has a strong and trusting connection with the client, and is attuned to the client’s individual needs, making the client feel safe, supported, and heard therapy can be more effective
- Challenge – If therapy is going to be truly transformative then the therapist needs to be courageous enough to challenge and push the client in a way that disrupts their unhelpful behaviour patterns.
Striking the right balance between connection and challenge is essential for effective therapy.
An excessive focus on connection with low challenge can lead to a lighter, low-impact counselling session, while an over-emphasis on challenge without connection can come across as abrasive and hinder the therapeutic process. The optimal zone lies in achieving a delicate equilibrium of high challenge and high connection, where the therapist can effectively guide the client towards positive change and personal growth.
You can also download the connection and challenge matrix here for your own records
Download the connection/challenge matrixJOE OLIVER is founder of Contextual Consulting, and a consultant clinical psychologist, Associate Professor and program director of the University College London CBT for severe mental health problems Post-Graduate Program.
