Characteristic features of helpful therapist self-disclosure
Therapist self-disclosures can be powerful and influential interventions, depending on their form and timing in the interaction and the therapy process. In a qualitative case study (N=6) using the pattern matching method, we analyzed client experiences of characteristic features of self-disclosures. The results suggest that important formal characteristics of helpful self-disclosure are:
the self-disclosure is delivered in a collaborative manner fostering mutual dialogue;
a clear and focused use tuned to the needs of the individual client.
Concerning timing, clients experienced two characteristics as particularly important:
fit with client immediate experience or implicit client needs or requirements;
noninterference with the client’s internal track.
