HOW PATIENTS COACH THEIR THERAPISTS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY

This article examines coaching behavior in the therapeutic relationship from the perspective of control mastery theory. The expanded concept of coaching presented here views the patient as actively engaged throughout therapy in prompting, instructing, and educating the therapist to relevant aspects of the patient's plan for disconfirming pathogenic beliefs and attaining treatment goals. Three therapy situations encountered when coaching is prominent are identified and illustrated with clinical vignettes.