A meta-analysis of client–therapist perspectives on the therapeutic alliance: Examining the moderating role of eating disorders versus anxiety disorders, treatment orientation, and measurement time points.

Therapists, take note: Your view of the patient relationship may differ from your patient's perspective. Research shows that patients consistently rate their connection with therapists higher than therapists do. This gap exists across different types of patients, therapy approaches, and stages of treatment. Understanding this difference is crucial for therapists when planning their approach. Why? Because when therapists and patients see eye to eye on their relationship, it can lead to better treatment results. So, therapists should always keep in mind that their patients might feel more positively about their bond than they realize.