Research has for a long while highlighted the importance of a good therapeutic relationship between therapist and patient. Recently, research has demonstrated a causal influence of the therapeutic relationship on patient’s wellbeing in therapy.

Research from Lucy Goldsmith, PhD student at University of Manchester, suggested the therapeutic relationship in psychosis is so important that this relationship can both improve and potentially damage a patient’s well-being. This new study involved over 300 individuals with psychosis and demonstrated it was the quality of the relationship that caused the reported improvement in symptoms, and the specific treatments, e.g. CBT, or supportive counselling, presented little difference between them.

This highlights the importance of building a good, strong, and trusting therapeutic relationship, and reconsidering the quality of this relationship when outcome for therapy outcome is not as good as expected.