| Components of the Therapeutic Alliance | Description |
| Empathy | The ability to feel what a client is experiencing; seeing the world through the client’s eyes (Rogers, 1951); therapist perceives feelings and experiences from “inside” the client (Rogers, 1961) |
| Unconditional positive regard | Total acceptance of a client no matter how distasteful the client’s behaviors, beliefs, and words may be (Chapter 11) |
| Genuineness | Being authentic, responding to a client in a way that is real rather than hiding behind a polite or professional mask; knowing exactly where the therapist stands allows the client to feel secure enough to open up (Rogers, 1961) |
| Active listening | Picking up on the content and emotions behind words in order to understand a client’s point of view; reflection or echoing the main point of what a client says |
| Humanist Carl Rogers believed it was critical to establish a strong and trusting therapist–client relationship. Above are the key elements of a therapeutic alliance. |