![Two chairs turned towards each other under an arch where a rose and a honeysuckle grow together](https://viacara.com/img/content/approaches-relational-therapy-feature-light.webp) # Relational Therapy Learn how relational therapy works through the relationship with your therapist, how it differs from psychodynamic therapy and what research shows. ## What is relational therapy? Relational therapy puts the way you relate to others at the centre of the work. It looks at how past relationships shape the ones you have now. Much of this happens between you and your therapist. What goes on between you, here and now, can show how you relate to other people. You talk about your life, as in any therapy. You also talk about how it feels to be in the room together. It is not the same as relationship therapy. That works with a couple or a family together. If you and a partner want help together, our [couples therapy page](https://viacara.com/support/couples/) is the place to start. Sources: [UKCP: approaches](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-1), [BACP: types of therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-2) ## Where it comes from One root is in psychoanalysis. In 1983, Jay Greenberg and Stephen Mitchell set Freud's model against one in which relationships come first. Mitchell drew these ideas together in a 1988 book. Today the word is used across many kinds of therapy. One UK network of relational therapists has members from many schools. They include [humanistic](https://viacara.com/approaches/humanistic/), [Jungian](https://viacara.com/approaches/jungian-therapy/) and [gestalt](https://viacara.com/approaches/gestalt-therapy/) therapists. From [person-centred therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/person-centred/), Dave Mearns and Mick Cooper wrote about relational depth in 2005. They describe it as deep contact between two people. Each person is fully real with the other. Sources: [Greenberg & Mitchell 1983](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-3), [Mitchell 1988](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-4), [Loewenthal 2014](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-5), [Relational School: about](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-6), [Mearns & Cooper 2005](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-7) ## How it *works* Your therapist pays close attention to what happens between you, as it happens. Talking about your bond in the moment is called immediacy. For example, your therapist might ask whether you feel angry with them right now. They may also share, with care, something of what they feel. Sometimes the bond itself runs into trouble. Researchers call this a rupture: a disagreement about goals or tasks, or a strain in your bond. UK counselling guidance calls mending a rupture a vital part of therapy. If something your therapist says lands badly, you can tell them. Talking it through together is part of the work. Two places to explore *relationships* - **Outside the room** You talk about people in your life. You may notice the same things happen in different relationships. - **In the room** You and your therapist notice how you feel and act with each other. The bond with your therapist is part of the work. Therapists from different schools can work this way. Sources: [BACP: therapy relationships](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-8), [Eubanks et al. 2018](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-9), [Relational School: about](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-6), [UKCP: approaches](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-1) ## What *sessions* look like The UK Council for Psychotherapy says sessions typically last 50 minutes. Most often, people see their therapist once a week, at the same time. Therapy can be short or long term. Some continues for two years or more. Many therapists work online or by phone. Early sessions are a chance to see how it feels to work together. That feeling is something you can talk about too. Source: [UKCP: FAQs](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-10) ![The view from the armchair to the second chair, across a small table with a bowl mended in gold](https://viacara.com/img/content/approaches-relational-therapy-mid-light.webp) In relational therapy, what happens between you and your therapist is part of the work ## How it differs from *psychodynamic* therapy Both approaches look at how past relationships shape the present. The difference is in how the therapist takes part. In [psychodynamic therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/psychodynamic/), your therapist tries to keep their own personality out of the picture. You can then project feelings about important people in your life onto them. The psychoanalyst Lewis Aron called the relational view a two-person psychology. In the older view, he wrote, transference happened inside the patient's mind, not between two people. Some relational psychoanalysts see open talk about the bond as a way to sort out ruptures. Sources: [UKCP: approaches](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-1), [Aron 1990](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-11), [BACP: therapy relationships](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-8) ## Who it may *suit* Relational therapy may suit you if you: - Notice the same things happening in your relationships - Find it hard to trust people, or to let them close - Have tried therapy before and felt kept at a distance - Want a therapist who talks openly about what happens between you - Would rather explore than follow a set programme It may suit you less if you want a structured course with practical tasks. By contrast, [cognitive behavioural therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/cbt/) focuses on current problems and practical solutions. Source: [BACP: types of therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-2) ## Finding a *relational* therapist Relational therapists train in many schools. Ask any therapist what they trained in, and how they work with the relationship. Anyone in the UK can call themselves a psychotherapist or a counsellor. The NHS says to check that a private therapist is on a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. UKCP and BACP both keep accredited registers. Sources: [Relational School: about](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-6), [Loewenthal 2014](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-5), [Lally & Naulls 2025](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-12), [NHS: talking therapies](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-13), [PSA: UKCP](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-14), [PSA: BACP](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-15) ## The *evidence* A 2018 review pooled 295 studies of the working relationship between clients and therapists. A stronger working bond went with better results, in many kinds of therapy. Another 2018 review looked at ruptures. Across 11 studies, mending a rupture went with better results for clients. Training therapists in rupture repair showed no clear link to results. Neither review tested relational therapy itself. They looked at the working bond in many kinds of therapy. A short form, brief relational therapy, has been tested in trials. In one, for adults with personality disorders, it did as well as two other short therapies. Fewer people dropped out of it. A small pilot study tried it with people whose first therapy was not going well. Its authors said the findings were early. We found no trial of open-ended relational therapy. NICE does not mention relational therapy in its guidance on depression or generalised anxiety. NHS Talking Therapies does not list it. NICE does ask professionals to help build a trusting relationship with people who have depression. It also lists the option to change professional if the relationship is not working. If you are weighing up a few options, our [guide to the different approaches](https://viacara.com/guides/understanding-approaches/) sets them side by side. Sources: [Flückiger et al. 2018](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-16), [Eubanks et al. 2018](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-9), [Muran et al. 2005](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-17), [Safran et al. 2005](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-18), [NICE NG222](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-19), [NICE CG113](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-20), [NHS England: talking therapies manual](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#ref-21) On this page [What is relational therapy?](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#what-is-relational-therapy) [Where it comes from](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#where-it-comes-from) [How it works](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#how-it-works) [What sessions look like](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#what-sessions-look-like) [How it differs from psychodynamic therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#how-it-differs-from-psychodynamic-therapy) [Who it may suit](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#who-it-may-suit) [Finding a relational therapist](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#finding-a-relational-therapist) [The evidence](https://viacara.com/approaches/relational-therapy/#the-evidence) Related [Psychodynamic Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/psychodynamic/) [Psychoanalytic Therapy and Psychoanalysis](https://viacara.com/approaches/psychoanalytic-therapy/) [Person-Centred Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/person-centred/) [Integrative Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/integrative/) [Couples Therapy](https://viacara.com/support/couples/) [Understanding Different Approaches](https://viacara.com/guides/understanding-approaches/) Thanks for your interest. We're not taking on new clients at the moment. ## Looking for *relational* therapy? We ask what matters to you, then find professionals who fit. Leave your email and we'll let you know as soon as we're ready for you. This conversation helps us find you the right support. What you share helps us understand what you're looking for and find someone who fits. Your email keeps you updated on what's happening next and isn't shared with anyone we introduce you to. [Privacy policy](https://viacara.com/privacy/) [Terms of service](https://viacara.com/terms/) ## References 1. UK Council for Psychotherapy (n.d.). *Psychotherapy approaches*. [psychotherapy.org.uk](https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/psychotherapy-training/psychotherapy-approaches/) 2. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (n.d.). *Types of therapy: an A to Z of therapeutic approaches*. [bacp.co.uk](https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/) 3. Greenberg, J. R. & Mitchell, S. A. (1983). *Object Relations in Psychoanalytic Theory*. Harvard University Press. [hup.harvard.edu](https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674629752) 4. Mitchell, S. A. (1988). *Relational Concepts in Psychoanalysis: An Integration*. Harvard University Press. [hup.harvard.edu](https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674754119) 5. Loewenthal, D. & Samuels, A. (eds) (2014). *Relational Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis and Counselling: Appraisals and reappraisals*. Routledge. [routledge.com](https://www.routledge.com/Relational-Psychotherapy-Psychoanalysis-and-Counselling-Appraisals-and/Loewenthal-Samuels/p/book/9780415721547) 6. The Relational School (n.d.). *About*. [therelationalschool.com](https://therelationalschool.com/) 7. Mearns, D. & Cooper, M. (2005). *Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy: preface to the first edition*. Sage. [sk.sagepub.com](https://sk.sagepub.com/book/mono/working-at-relational-depth-in-counselling-and-psychotherapy-2e/front-matter/i135) 8. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2021). *Good practice across the counselling professions 004: what works in counselling and psychotherapy relationships*. [bacp.co.uk (PDF)](https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/14412/bacp-what-works-in-counselling-and-psychotherapy-relationships-gpac004-jan22.pdf) 9. Eubanks, C. F., Muran, J. C. & Safran, J. D. (2018). *Alliance rupture repair: a meta-analysis*. Psychotherapy. [doi:10.1037/pst0000185](https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000185) 10. UK Council for Psychotherapy (n.d.). *Psychotherapy FAQs*. [psychotherapy.org.uk](https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/seeking-therapy/psychotherapy-faqs/) 11. Aron, L. (1990). *One person and two person psychologies and the method of psychoanalysis*. Psychoanalytic Psychology. [doi:10.1037/0736-9735.7.4.475](https://doi.org/10.1037/0736-9735.7.4.475) 12. Lally, C. & Naulls, S. (2025). *Regulation of psychological professionals in mental health care*. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. [doi:10.58248/RR85](https://doi.org/10.58248/RR85) 13. NHS (2025). *Talking therapies*. [nhs.uk](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies/) 14. Professional Standards Authority (n.d.). *UK Council for Psychotherapy*. [professionalstandards.org.uk](https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/organisations-we-oversee/find-a-register/uk-council-psychotherapy) 15. Professional Standards Authority (n.d.). *British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy*. [professionalstandards.org.uk](https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/organisations-we-oversee/find-a-register/british-association-counselling-psychotherapy) 16. Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E. & Horvath, A. O. (2018). *The alliance in adult psychotherapy: a meta-analytic synthesis*. Psychotherapy. [doi:10.1037/pst0000172](https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000172) 17. Muran, J. C., Safran, J. D., Samstag, L. W. & Winston, A. (2005). *Evaluating an alliance-focused treatment for personality disorders*. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training. [doi:10.1037/0033-3204.42.4.532](https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.42.4.532) 18. Safran, J. D., Muran, J. C., Samstag, L. W. & Winston, A. (2005). *Evaluating alliance-focused intervention for potential treatment failures: a feasibility study and descriptive analysis*. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training. [doi:10.1037/0033-3204.42.4.512](https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.42.4.512) 19. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2022). *Depression in adults: treatment and management (NG222)*. [nice.org.uk](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222/chapter/Recommendations) 20. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2020). *Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management (CG113)*. [nice.org.uk](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg113/chapter/Recommendations) 21. NHS England (2024). *NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression manual, version 7*. [england.nhs.uk (PDF)](https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nhs-talking-therapies-manual-v7.1-updated.pdf) ## Related ### [Psychodynamic Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/psychodynamic/) Learn how psychodynamic therapy works, what to expect in sessions and how exploring your past can change your present. ### [Psychoanalytic Therapy and Psychoanalysis](https://viacara.com/approaches/psychoanalytic-therapy/) Learn how psychoanalytic therapy and psychoanalysis work, how they differ from psychodynamic therapy and what the research does and does not show. ### [Person-Centred Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/person-centred/) Learn how person-centred therapy works, what sessions look like and why the relationship with your therapist matters most. ### [Integrative Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/integrative/) Learn how integrative therapy combines different approaches to create a flexible, personalised experience. ### [Couples Therapy](https://viacara.com/support/couples/) Couples therapy for any kind of couple: how sessions work, time alone with the therapist, what it costs for two and when it is not the right start. ### [Understanding Different Approaches](https://viacara.com/guides/understanding-approaches/) A plain-English guide to the main therapeutic approaches including CBT, person-centred therapy, psychodynamic and integrative methods.