Collaborative therapy is a philosophical and postmodern treatment model which encourages and promotes a change process that assists clients in finding solutions through mutual relations between them and therapists. The therapy process is collaborative and meaning-making and mainly occurs in conversations between the two parties. Moreover, it is generative and normally co-developed in the dialogue and within the treatment relationship. The collaborative theory is helpful for groups, couples, and individuals who seek treatment plans to enhance communication, reach mutual understanding, and may wish to solve conflicts by exploring diverse perspectives. This report aims to give the context of collaborative therapy, provide a model fit, identify similarities and differences between collaborative theory and the mental health recovery model, and explain its application.
Model Description: Key Theorists and Model Formation
Collaborative therapy emphasizes developing an egalitarian and cooperative relationship between the individual in the treatment plan and their therapist to facilitate conversations that result in positive changes. It was developed by a theorist, Harlene Anderson, and her workmates, including Harry Goolishian, at the Houston Galveston Institute (Heatherington & Johnson, 2019). As Harlene was interested in knowing why the treatment worked for some individuals and not others, she tried to find what facilitated the transformation process of therapy. Through the conversations, Harlene developed this model grounded on postmodernism which advocates for the notion that knowledge is socially constructed and the skeptical attitude towards understanding.
Main Concepts and Principles of Collaborative Therapy
The basic underlying principle of this model is creating a collaborative relationship between the client and the therapist by engaging in conversations that promote personal development and change. Anderson also believes that as meaningful dialogues occur and multiple perspectives are evaluated, the client and therapist acquire new understanding and knowledge (Chenail et al., 2020). This approach is significantly influenced by postmodernism and is employed to treat families, groups, people, and organizations. Collaborative therapists maintain that language and knowledge are interdependent and interact in continually evolving, dynamic processes through sharing ideas and information.
Anderson believes that this collaborative therapy promotes and encourages a transformation for both the client and the therapist. One of the main concepts of this philosophy is the belief that knowledge is fluid, and thus it is developed as language evolves. Another concept is relational expertise, which implies that if therapists listen attentively and comprehend the person’s experiences in therapy, the session becomes more effective (Chenail et al., 2020). Additionally, both parties should collaborate with honesty, genuineness, respect, and empathy to exchange information for the client’s full knowledge of their problems. The not-knowing aspect also applies whereby the therapist, in the session, should suspend judgments by attempting not to understand all aspects of the client’s situation quickly but rather permitting them to set the session’s agenda.
Therapists in collaborative therapy are supposed to live with uncertainties but only expect to have solutions to some problems raised in the session. This means they should not guide the process but stay focused on what is happening during the treatment plan. Furthermore, this model asserts that the therapeutic process should be proactive for the parties involved, and each side should continually work towards transforming their relationship and lives (Heatherington & Johnson, 2019). The therapist is expected to assist the individual in the therapy to discover ways of moving forward in their ordinary everyday life than being reliant on the therapy.
Connections to Systems Theory and Model Assumptions
The view of the collaborative therapy model is different from systems theory which has a specialized philosophical perspective of human behavior. Its philosophical stance includes social constructionists and postmodern ideologies, which involve considering the individual in the therapy as an expert and valuing the transformative conversation process (Heatherington & Johnson, 2019). Another distinguishing aspect between collaborative and systems theory is that the former bases its concepts on postmodernism to form a special relational process. To attain that, the therapists apply the art of not-knowing, implying that they do not presume they have a clue about the client’s history or their family (Chenail et al., 2020). Instead, cooperative therapists utilize many recovery model approaches, including helping the clients with resiliency and self-agency.
Collaborative therapy assumes that bodily systems are developed through language and its definition and that the real world is created through social settings. Another assumption of the model is that meaning, reality, and experiences are formed by humans conversing and interacting with other people (Chenail et al., 2020). Moreover, language is presumed to give meaning to life and the world and act as a key to entering the social world. In addition, this model believes that knowledge is gained through human experiences and interactions.
Ways in Which Change Occurs According to the Collaborative Therapy
During a therapeutic session, the client and the therapist build a partnership through which they communicate. The therapist actively listens to stories shared by the person in the therapy and strives to comprehend their perspective. To encourage conversation, the counselor asks questions and tries their best to grasp everything the client says. A positive change occurs through the collaborative relationship between the two parties and as they work together to form a new understanding of personal experiences, allowing for transformation.
A key part of the therapy process is the acknowledgment by the counselor that the individual in the session is an expert on their own experience. Thus, they do not act as if they have a greater understanding of authoritative figures but provide perspectives and proposals (Chenail et al., 2020). Allowing the person in the therapy to share life experiences at their own pace and way and demonstrating genuine interest in their stories is one of the specific tactics therapists use. Other techniques include listening and responding keenly, observing the non-verbal and verbal communication cues, constant pauses, and using silence to create room for reflection. This approach assists individuals in making positive changes and addressing different types of concerns and problems.
Role of the Therapist in Facilitating Change
Therapists play key roles in collaborative therapy that aim at benefiting the person in the therapy with multiple treatment and intervention approaches. One of their duties is to create a space through which the therapy session and dialogue occur seamlessly (Liu et al., 2020). They can attain this by providing a natural setting that openly welcomes cooperative relationships and conversation between the two parties. Moreover, the therapist must show respect and depend on the system’s capacity of the person in the therapy for self-agency and to come up with alternative solutions to solve their client’s issues. Thus, they should provide leadership by simplifying the dialogue, as that would open up new opportunities for new meanings their clients might have after the session.
Furthermore, the therapist may facilitate the session by gently shifting the dialogue to the conversational exchange. That entails asking questions that seek further clarification and helping the client open up (Liu et al., 2020). Similarly, the psychotherapist’s sole responsibility is to establish a dialogical process by being open to listening, speaking politely, and hearing whatever the client says in a democratic manner rather than a hierarchical one. In addition, they should set clear and tenable objectives, which should be evaluated by the end of the session.
Legal and Ethical Considerations Unique to the Model
In collaborative therapy, specific guidelines should be adhered to prevent consequential legal and ethical implications. Maintaining privacy is the foundation of cooperative therapy. With the assurance of the same, the client can be expected to reveal personally damaging and embarrassing information in the session (Phipps, 2019). It is worth noting that the moral requirement of privacy overlaps with the law. Some of the solutions to issues the therapist shall experience may only occur with a knowledge of law and ethics. Thus, therapists should inform their clients of the importance of privacy and the potential consequences of violating confidentiality.
Moreover, the therapist and their client must maintain an environment of trust when holding the therapeutic session, especially when they speak openly about client’s feelings and personal problems. Another implication of collaborative therapy is informed consent, which allows the person in the therapy to have sufficient information regarding the services offered in the therapeutic session so they can choose to participate. Thus, all participants should be accorded orientation to the therapy session, including expected behavior, limitations, appropriate boundaries, and goal setting (Smoliak & Strong, 2019). Privacy must be one of the most important therapy norms and must be discussed thoroughly and openly among the participants. The individual in the therapy and the therapist should be free to socialize without fear of unwanted confession of personal experiences, judgment, or coercion.
Client Populations where the Model Would be Appropriate
Collaborative therapy is mainly intended for adult clients and individuals with over one mental health problem. This may include people with chronic schizophrenia, body dysmorphic disorder, parents with psychosis, and individuals struggling with substance abuse (Wood et al., 2021). Moreover, it is best suited for individuals interested in learning new coping mechanisms and those who want a better understanding of their experiences and thoughts. On the other hand, this model is inappropriate for individuals who prefer a more directive therapist or a structured format.
Model Fit
One of the strengths that will fit well with collaborative therapy is that I communicate very well with all kinds of individuals, including difficult ones. Efficient communication is crucial for this collaborative process as it allows the relationship to function and the collaboration to be productive. In addition, I have an open mindset, as I can put aside individual differences and collaborate to progress as people and as a community. Simply acknowledging and respecting the beliefs, experiences, and practices of others in a therapeutic session helps to establish a harmonious relationship.
Furthermore, I am a collaborative, active listener as I can absorb and consider everything that is said before me so that I am well placed to capture ideas, amplify, energize, and clarify their thinking for effective collaboration. This aligns well with collaborative therapy because active listening helps establish and maintain therapeutic bonds and alliances by showing empathy and creating opportunities for change. By reflecting on the client’s feelings, the person in the therapy experiences messages of encouragement and support to continue their treatment plan. My weakness is that, at times, I assume I know how other people feel and think, and I stop listening and communicating. Therapists’ bias in collaborative therapy may change their recommendations to their clients and influence their knowledge of the client’s challenges. One way to overcome this is by becoming aware of unconscious prejudice. That may be achieved by paying close attention to one’s thoughts and examining their beliefs, hence identifying the presumptions they hold.
Recovery Model and Collaborative Therapy
Different principles of the mental health recovery approach align with the collaborative approach. For instance, in both cases, the person in the therapeutic session is viewed as an expert in sharing their stories and experiences and how they feel about themselves and their problems. Similarly, they demonstrate expertise in how they need to go about working through their healing process (Winsper et al., 2020). Another concept between the collaborative therapy and mental health recovery model is that the therapist and their client collaborate to discover the best ways to resolve the client’s issues. According to the two models, the psychotherapist’s and the client’s inputs are valued and used in making final decisions. In addition, the therapist should demonstrate leadership but only dictate some of the processes. They should establish a rapport by allowing each party to share their views and propose suggestions.
Model Application
The application of collaborative therapy can be explained using an example of a family system seen in the movie Save the Last Dance. In the film, Sara Johnson, a suburban dancer in Chicago, wishes to be enrolled in Juilliard school and implores her parents to attend an audition (Richards & Gardner, 2019). Sara learns that her mother was involved in a fatal accident and, at the same time, fails the audition. She is wracked with guilty and relocates with her father, a jazz musician. Moreover, Sara moves to a high school whereby she is one of the few white students while most are African Americans. Soon after the transfer, she befriends Reynolds, who has problems in her relationship with her ex-boyfriend (Richards & Gardner, 2019). The single mother invites her to a dance club where she has her first experience in hip hop dances.
At the club, Sara dances with the brother of the single mother who is pursuing dreams of becoming a pediatrician at Georgetown University. The brother opts to assist Sara in advancing her dancing skills by incorporating more hip-hop styles into her dancing model (Richards & Gardner, 2019). While Derek and Sara are performing, Derek’s ex-girlfriend interrupts the two and starts to dance with Derek, forcing Sara to retreat to the club. Afterward, Derek returns to Sara and apologizes for pairing with the ex-girlfriend, and as a result, they make up and return to Roy’s home. Derek persuades Sara, and they start a romantic relationship after being accepted into Georgetown.
Assessment Strategies Related to Collaborative Therapy
The problem presented in the above movie is the stressful relationship between Derek, Malachi, and Sara. It applies to collaborative therapy as it requires problem-solving whereby a therapist should allow a client to dissolve. In this case, one of the assessment methods involves evaluating the client’s worldview of the therapist. For instance, in the case of this film, a therapist should find strategies and ways for Derek, Nikki, and Sara to allow them to share their stories about their place of origin.
Recommended Treatment Plan
A treatment plan based on collaborative therapy for the family system in Save the Last Dance would involve understanding the different worldviews of the characters. In the recommended treatment plan, the first session would involve helping Sara cope with her mother’s demise. As a therapist, I would help her to understand that accidents are normal and that she should not blame herself for the tragic accident. Afterward, I worked closely with Sara to find coping methods, including getting back to ballet dancing and helping her reconcile with her father. The other treatment plan would be group therapy for Sara, Chenille, and Derek to discuss their different world perspectives. During the session, each participant would be allowed to tell their background. Throughout the therapeutic session, the therapist would ask questions to understand how the three parties view the world and the things around them.
Conclusion
The ultimate aim of a treatment plan is to come together and collaborate to reach a common objective and solution, as this is what the collaborative therapeutic model is all about. This report has outlined the context of collaborative therapy and articulating ways in which the model is a good fit for me, including my strengths and areas that require improvement. Moreover, it has explained the principles, concepts, commonalities, and differences between mental health recovery and collaborative theory. Lastly, the model has been effectively applied to one of the family systems from the list of films provided in the syllabus.
References
Chenail, R. J., Reiter, M. D., Torres‐Gregory, M., & Ilic, D. (2020). Postmodern family therapy. The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy, 1, 417-442. Web.
Heatherington, L., & Johnson, B. (2019). Social constructionism in couple and family therapy: Narrative, solution-focused, and related approaches. In B.H. Fiese et al. (Eds.), APA handbook of contemporary family psychology: Foundations, methods, and contemporary issues across the lifespan (pp. 127–142). American Psychological Association. Web.
Liu, V. Y., La Guardia, A., & Sullivan, J. M. (2020). A single-case research evaluation of collaborative therapy treatment among adults. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, 11(1), 45-58. Web.
Phipps, W. D. (2019). Toward an integrative approach: Refiguring essential developments in family therapy. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 30(2), 116-140. Web.
Richards, J., & Gardner, S. (2019). Young people’s experiences in hip hop dance participation. Dance and the Quality of Life, 459-474. Web.
Smoliak, O., & Strong, T. (2019). Postmodernism in couple and family therapy. In J. Lebow et al. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy (pp. 2260-2266). Cham: Springer International Publishing. Web.
Winsper, C., Crawford-Docherty, A., Weich, S., Fenton, S. J., & Singh, S. P. (2020). How do recovery-oriented interventions contribute to personal mental health recovery? A systematic review and logic model. Clinical Psychology Review, 76, 101815. Web.
Wood, M. J., Wilson, H. M., & Parry, S. L. (2021). Exploring the development and maintenance of therapeutic relationships through e-Health support: A narrative analysis of therapist experiences. Medicine Access@ Point of Care, 5, 23992026211018087. Web.