Examining how lesbian, gay, and bisexual Christian clients' perceptions of therapists' cultural humility contribute to psychotherapy outcomes.

Understanding the intersection between sexual and religious identity has important implications for mental health. The lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community is at high risk for a wide range of psychopathologies, and religious culture can further these risks when it creates homophobic environments (Sherry et al., 2010). The present study examined lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) Christian clients' religious commitment and perceptions of their therapists' cultural humility in relation to the working alliance and therapeutic outcomes. A sample of 158 LGB Christians who were currently or had been in psychotherapy within the last year participated in the study. Perceptions of their therapists' cultural humility positively predicted therapeutic outcomes, and the working alliance partially mediated the relation between cultural humility and therapeutic outcomes. Contrary to predictions, religious commitment did not moderate the relation between cultural humility and working alliance. Implications are discussed, namely, that the results of this study join existing literature to potentially suggest a systemic shift in psychotherapy training that includes cultural humility. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

"If those tears could talk, what would they say?" Multi-method analysis of a corrective experience in brief dynamic therapy.

We analyzed master theorist/therapist Hanna Levenson's six-session work with "Ann" in American Psychological Association's Theories of Psychotherapy video series to determine if and how this client had a corrective experience in Brief Dynamic Therapy. First, we identified indicators of a corrective experience in the therapist's and client's own words. Complementing this analysis, we used observational coding to identify, moment by moment, narrative-emotion markers of shifts in Ann's "same old story"; the frequency, type, and depth of immediacy; and the client's and therapist's behavioral contributions to the working alliance. Additionally, we qualitatively analyzed Levenson's session-by-session accounts of the therapy from two sources. Convergent evidence from these multi-method analyses suggested how the intertwined relational and technical change processes seemed to bring about this client's corrective experience. Through consistent attention to the alliance and increasingly deep immediacy, Levenson created a safe space for Ann to "bring down the wall"-by allowing herself to cry and be deeply understood and cared for in a way that she had never before experienced. Concurrently, Ann began seeing herself quite differently, signified by self-identity narrative change. Then, following Session 4, she took Levenson's suggestion to risk behaving more authentically with a friend and with her romantic partner.

The working alliance in group counseling: an exploratory study.

The working alliance is a well-defined component of the therapeutic relationship. The present exploratory study examined the development of the working alliance within a group counseling context. The participants (N = 50) were students in a graduate program in mental health counseling taking an experiential training course in group dynamics. Participants rated their perceptions of the working alliance at the end of each session in a time-limited training group. Group members' perceptions of their alliance with the group leader and the group as a whole were positively correlated. Outcomes of the group experience were strongly related to the perceived strength of the working alliance as early as the fourth session. Outcomes were also positively correlated with the bonding and agreement-on-goals aspects of the working alliance, but not with the group tasks aspect. The more that group members reported strong working alliances, the more they tended to report that they had self-disclosed in the group.