Mental Health: Therapeutic alliance in mental health

Multiple viewpoints - consumers, carers and clinicans

• Facilitators and obstacles to therapeutic alliance among patients with anorexia nervosa: A qualitative dyadic research. Lev Ari HS, Gur E, Lotan-Wohl M, et al. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 2024,  24(1), 136-153. 
• Therapeutic relationships within child and adolescent mental health inpatient services: A qualitative exploration of the experiences of young people, family members and nursing staff. Hartley S, Redmond T, & Berry K. PLoS ONE, 2022,  17(1), e0262070. 
• "What matters to me": A multi-method qualitative study exploring service users', carers' and clinicians' needs and experiences of therapeutic engagement on acute mental health wards. Mcallister S, Simpson A, Tsianakas V, et al. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 2021,  30(3), 703-714. 

Consumer perspective

• Building and sustaining therapeutic relationships across treatment settings: A qualitative study of how patients navigate the group dynamics of mental healthcare. Iversen HW, Riley H, Rabu M, et al. BMC Psychiatry, 2025,  25(1)
• Older patients' perspectives on the therapeutic relationship with young psychotherapists. Boschann A, Staats H, & Wiegand-Grefe S. PLoS ONE Vol 19(5), 2024, ArtID e0295834, 2024,  19(5). 
• Let me be me: Investigating transgender clients' experiences of their therapeutic relationship with their counsellor. Schofield K, Dunnett A, & Gabriel L. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 2024,  24(2), 582-590. 
• Perspectives of adult patients with mental health disorders on the relationship with nurses: A focus group study. Coelho J, Moreno Poyato A, Roldan Merino J, et al. BMC Nursing, 2024,  23(1), 9. 
• All I missed in the therapeutic relationship: The lived experience narrative of a mental health nurse receiving mental health care. Martinez-Martinez C, Anonymous, & Sanchez-Martinez V. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing., 2023,  07. 
• *The attitudes of mental health nurses that support a positive therapeutic relationship: The perspective of people diagnosed with BPD. Romeu-Labayen M, Tort-Nasarre G, Rigol Cuadra MA, et al. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 2022,  29(2), 317-326. 

Staff perspective

• Perception of mental health professionals on using humour in therapeutic relationships in acute mental health units. Pinar-Rodriguez S, Puig-Llobet M, Corcoles-Martinez D, et al. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 2025,  34(2), e70028. 
• Exploring the therapeutic relationship through the reflective practice of nurses in acute mental health units: A qualitative study. Tolosa-Merlos D, Moreno-Poyato AR, Gonzalez-Palau F, et al. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2023,  32(1-2), 253-263. 

Community mental health

• The therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators is associated with acute effects and clinical outcomes in a psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for major depressive disorder. Levin AW, Lancelotta R, Sepeda ND, et al. PLoS ONE Vol 19(3), 2024, ArtID e0300501, 2024,  19(3). 
• The physical health nurse consultant and mental health consumer: An important therapeutic partnership. Tabvuma T, Stanton R, & Happell B. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 2023,  32(2), 579-589. 

Inpatient units

• The therapeutic relationship at the heart of nursing care: A participatory action research in acute mental health units. Tolosa-Merlos D, Moreno-Poyato AR, Gonzalez-Palau F, et al. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2023,  32(15-16), 5135-5146. 
• Forensic mental health nurses' experiences of rebuilding the therapeutic relationship after an episode of physical restraint in forensic services in Ireland: A qualitative study. Moyles J, Hunter A, & Grealish A. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 2023,  32(5), 1377-1389. 
• Comparison of MI-oriented versus CBT-oriented adjunctive treatments: Impacts on therapeutic alliance and patient engagement during hospital treatment for an eating disorder. Mills JS, Poulin LE, & Kirsh G. Journal of Eating Disorders Vol 11(1), 2023, ArtID 98, 2023,  11(1). 
• Containment and therapeutic relationships in acute psychiatric care spaces: The symbolic dimensions of doors. Missouridou E, Fradelos EC, Kritsiotakis E, et al. BMC Psychiatry, 2022,  22(1), 2. 
• Measuring therapeutic engagement in acute mental health inpatient environments: The perspectives of service users and mental health nurses. Chambers M, Mcandrew S, Nolan F, et al. BMC Psychiatry, 2021,  21(1), 547. 
• *A lack of therapeutic engagement and consumer input in acute inpatient care planning limits fully accountable mental health nursing practice. Rio JHM, Fuller J, Taylor K, et al. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 2020,  29(2), 290-298. 
• *Therapeutic relationships: Making space to practice in chaotic institutional environments. Kingston MA, & Greenwood S. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing, 2020,  27(6), 689-698. 

Telehealth

• Identifying central elements of the therapeutic alliance in the setting of telerehabilitation: A qualitative study. Seebacher B, Geimer C, Neu J, et al. PLoS ONE Vol 19(3), 2024, ArtID e0299909, 2024,  19(3). 

• Australian mental health care practitioners' construing of non-white and white people: Implications for cultural competence and therapeutic alliance. Dune T, Caputi P, Walker BM, et al. BMC Psychol, 2021,  9(1), 85. 
• (mis)recognition in the therapeutic alliance: The experience of mental health interpreters working with refugees in U.K. Clinical settings. Hassan H, & Blackwood L. Qualitative Health Research, 2021,  31(2), 399-410. 
• Rethinking interpreter functions in mental health services. Chang DF, Hsieh E, Somerville WB, et al. Psychiatr Serv, 2021,  72(3), 353-357. 

• Identification of potential therapist "missteps" in the context of engagement in public mental health services: Analysis of digital recordings and key informant validation. Park HS, Becker KD, Chu W et al. Psychotherapy Research, 2025:1-15
• Impact of strengths model training and supervision on the therapeutic practice of Australian mental health clinicians. Pullman J, Santangelo P, Molloy L, et al. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 2023,  32(1), 236-244. 
• Establishing an optimal working relationship with patients with an antisocial personality disorder. Aspects and processes in the therapeutic alliance. Aerts J, Rijckmans M, Bogaerts S, et al. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 2023,  96(4), 999-1014. 
• Banter in psychotherapy: Relationship to treatment type, therapeutic alliance, and therapy outcome. Brooks AB, Baumann AW, Huber D, et al. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2023,  79(5), 1328-1341. 
• *The impact of a participatory intervention on the therapeutic relationship in mental health nurses: A multicentre study. Moreno-Poyato AR, Rodriguez-Nogueira O, Casanova-Garrigos G, et al. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2021,  77(7), 3104-3115.