Building Trust in Therapeutic Relationships is the Focus of Episode 6 on Menninger's Mind Dive Podcast

The analysis of the patient is an expected part of therapy, but clinicians may forget this dynamic creates an equal analysis of the therapist by the patient. Rather than a process of therapy, the two-way street of trust is an ideal outcome of a relationship between patient and clinician that must be nourished. Some argue that this is, by far, the most important fundamental element in a successful therapeutic approach.  

On episode no. 6 of Menninger's Mind Dive podcast for mental health professionals, Jon G. Allen, PhD, highlights the functions of trust in a therapeutic relationship, noting it is often neglected in psychotherapy literature.  

Dr. Allen, author of Trusting in Psychotherapy, previously served 40 years as a senior staff psychologist at The Menninger Clinic where he taught and supervised fellows and residents; conducted psychotherapy, diagnostic consultants and psychoeducational programs; and led research.

 

He currently holds positions as a clinical professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, a member of the honorary faculty at the Houston Psychoanalytic Society and an adjunct faculty member of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center. 

Dive into this episode alongside hosts Kerry Horrell, PhD, and Robert J. Boland, MD, as they explore how clinicians can better nurture a therapeutic relationship built on trust to support the overall quality of mental health care for their patients. 

“Think about the quality of the relationship as the fundamental, impactful aspect of psychotherapy,” said Dr. Allen. “Trust is not a common factor that’s been studied, but I think of trust as the superordinate common factor.”