Power in the therapeutic relationship
In the therapeutic relationship, we often talk about the importance of creating a symmetrical relationship. But this relationship is initially asymmetrical: the client comes to the therapist in a vulnerable position. They are not feeling well, they need help. And you are initially “above” them.
Therefore, increasing asymmetry on the part of the therapist, for example, through an expert position, leads to an exaggeration of power, the therapist taking over the pro-active position in the client's life.
In this case, the client becomes an object, losing subjectivity in his or her life, and the possibilities of a Gestalt therapeutic dialog are lost.
In this case, the therapist may feel guilty about the client. Guilt from this perspective can be a signal of exaggerated power in the therapeutic relationship. In this case, the therapist can check himself or herself by asking questions:
Do I (the therapist) really have that much power over the client?
What is my responsibility and what is the client's?
Have I (the therapist) promised a “magic pill” to the client?
Do I see the client as an adult in a difficult life situation?
Do I pay attention to the fact that the client is a survivor and has at least one way to cope (perhaps not the best, but he/she has it)?
Do I feel respect for the client, his/her life path and his/her way(s) of coping?
If self-reflection does not help you in your work with the client, support yourself with a supervisory session, especially if the exaggeration of power is not only in the relationship with one client, perhaps your unclosed gestalt, limiting transference and countertransference tendencies also contribute to the exaggeration of the degree of power in your relationship with the client.
Conclusions.
The therapeutic relationship is inherently assimilative.
The expert position of the psychotherapist leads to an increase in asymmetry.
Guilt in this case can be a marker of exaggerated power in the therapeutic relationship.
Questions for self-analysis will help to check whether the psychotherapist is not exceeding power in the relationship with the client.
A supervisory session can help with a deeper understanding of the characteristics that lead to power imbalances in the therapist-client relationship.
