Client Attraction to Therapists - A Mixed Methods Study of Therapist Experiences

There is a paucity of qualitative and quantitative work exploring characteristics of client attraction towards therapists (CATT) and strategies for handling those situations. The present study aimed to explore CATT using mixed methods, including providing updated rates of client attraction in the therapeutic relationship and examining characteristics of CATT.

A sample of 204 therapists (74% female; M_age = 36.74) completed an online survey with multiple-choice and open-ended questions on therapist demographics and experiences with clients endorsing attraction (including client disclosure, therapist emotional reaction, strategies for addressing, conceptualization, and supervision). 77% of respondents reported a cognitive-behavioral (CBT) theoretical orientation.

54% (n = 111) of respondents had a client express CATT, and anxiety was the most commonly reported emotional reaction. Qualitative results suggested that CATT was complex and multifaceted, that therapist and client identities played a key role in CATT, and that therapists often feel uncomfortable and/or unequipped to manage the situation. Therapist respondents reported using a variety of strategies to address the disclosure (e.g., normalization, setting boundaries). Supervision was reported to be useful, but at times insufficient.

The present research showed that CATT was a common clinical experience; yet therapists often feel anxious or unequipped to manage the situation. This study highlights the importance of clinical training on managing client attraction, especially from a CBT perspective. Directions for future research include further exploration of the intersection of client and therapist cultural and identity factors in the development and characteristics of CATT.