The Importance of Rapport in Therapy
One of the most important aspects of the therapeutic relationship is the rapport between the therapist and client. Now in some modalities, like Neuro Linguistic Programming state that rapport is a process which can be replicated. Now, I do not hold to that, despite my qualifications in NLP. I believe that rapport is not a process, but a natural state which can be enhanced or destroyed with equal chance.
Rapport is the feeling that a person is like us. From a therapists point of view, it is important that we do not pass ourselves off as being better than the client. In reality, therapists have an expertise in therapeutic process, but the client has the expertise in their issue. A mistake that many hypnotherapists make is that one case of, say anxiety, is the same across the board. This is patently not the case. Are their similarities in anxiety cases? Yes. But the expression and manifestation of an issue is unique to the client. A therapist who is empathetic will see that and will build on this mutual relationship and move forward to create a solid therapeutic relationship.
This is what is at the core of rapport, it is not a process which can be replicated over and over as if it were a recipe for apple pie. It is a unique dynamic between the therapist and client which facilitate a therapeutic relationship and positive change.
