Respect in psychotherapy

There have been only a few investigations of how therapists foster or impede the development of respect in psychotherapy. Respect concerns how we look at our patients and takes into account their uniqueness. Transferential-countertransferential, existential, and developmental foci are presented as a basis for understanding the origins and current status of respect along with the developmental possibilities inherent in the therapeutic process. The unchecked countertransference and deliberate, unethical behavior are cited as the principal means by which therapists perpetuate cycles of disrespect. Strategies that the therapist might utilize to facilitate the development and maintenance of respect are described.