Relating Therapy. (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Birtchnell, John
• Is Part Of: British journal of psychotherapy. Volume 30:Number 1(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 87
• Page End: 100
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychothérapie -- Périodiques; 616.8914
• DOI: 10.1111/bjp.12070
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-9883

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Relating therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is based upon relating theory. Relating theory is briefly compared with attachment theory and certain aspects of psychoanalysis. The interpersonal octagon (Birtchnell, 1994) represents a person's eight relating positions. People need to acquire the capability to relate effectively in each one of these. Competent relating is called positive and relating that falls short of this is called negative. Ways are described by which patients are helped to shed their negative relating and become more capable of relating positively. The Person's Relating to Others Questionnaire (Birtchnell <italic>et al</italic>., in press) measures negative relating within the eight positions of the octagon. It identifies a person's areas of negative relating and measures change in such relating over the course of psychotherapy. Interrelating therapy is an extension of relating therapy that is applicable to couples. The Couple's Relating to Each Other Questionnaires (Birtchnell <italic>et al</italic>., 2006) is a set of four questionnaires by which each of two partners can rate how s/he relates negatively to the other and how s/he considers that the other relates negatively to her/him. It is used to measure change over the course of couple therapy.</p> </abstract>