Rapport: 5 Keys To Creating An Environment Of Trust
When we talk about psychological therapies, we often tend to think about the techniques that are implemented, the instruments for evaluating attitudes and abilities or the approach that is used in that particular consultation.
Of course, these are very important factors when it comes to defining the type of therapy you are attending and what the objectives of attending them are, but to fully capture the essence of modern psychotherapy sessions we also need to have take another key issue into account. It is about the quality of the therapeutic alliance established between the patient and the professional
This is a concept that can also be known as rapport and which is used in areas such as Clinical Psychology, NLP and even the treatment of patients by nursing staff.
He therapeutic rapport is the shared and empathetic understanding of the different perspectives from which oneself and the other person approach a problem that must be solved by both It is a framework of relationships in which a mutual understanding is established between several agents with the aim of addressing a problem collaboratively.
In short, therapeutic rapport is the psychological harmony between the therapist and patient that allows the necessary collaboration between both Its two fundamental pillars are mutual trust and fluid communication (not symmetrical, since the ideal is for the patient to express themselves much more than the therapist).
Communicating…beyond consultation
Originally, the word rapport referred to the dynamic of relationships that must govern the interaction between a healthcare provider or therapist and their patients. In this way, there are training programs for mental health professionals and doctors that focus on teaching techniques to generate rapport, since it is understood that it is a fundamental aspect of the effectiveness of the intervention on patients. However, Today this word can also be applied to practically any context in which there is a task that can be carried out by two people who need to reach a good degree of understanding to get it.
Furthermore, rapport can be understood as both a relationship dynamics (i.e., something located in a specific time and space) or as a technique that a therapist applies (i.e., an instrument that is part of the professional’s repertoire of skills). However, these nuances do not change the nature of what good rapport should be.
Components of rapport
Wherever there is good rapport, there are also the three pillars on which it is based: coordination (or mirroring), reciprocity and the search for common ground.
1. Coordination
The coordination either mirroring consists in adapt to the rhythm of the other person both gesturally (capturing the general whole of their non-verbal language and replicating it in a similar way), orally (adapt the tone of voice and the rhythm of speech to that of the other person) and, above all, emotionally (reflecting oneself the emotional state of the other person to empathize and at the same time make that empathy manifest).
2. Reciprocity
Show reciprocity consists in find ways to reciprocate the other person’s contributions, be they actions or prayers Classically, in psychological consultation, reciprocity is expressed through active listening, in which the psychologist, despite remaining quieter than the patient, constantly gives signs of listening to the other person and reacting to what they say.
This component of rapport varies depending on the nature of the collaborative work that people must carry out.
3. Common places
This factor refers to the need to focus the focus of messages and actions on topics that are of interest to all people involved This is something that we often do without realizing it, when we explore the tastes and hobbies of a person we have just met and end up talking about something that is easy for us to talk about.
This is also done in therapy, although, of course, always with the objective of the sessions in mind and without deviating too much from certain guidelines and topics to be discussed.
The result of these three factors is establishing empathy, trust and clear communication
Guidelines for creating rapport
Some of the keys by which psychologists and therapists are guided to establish a good therapeutic rapport are:
1. Be aware of the importance of the first impression
Most professionals whose performance depends largely on their ability to generate good rapport They take special care to present themselves to the patient in the appropriate way In this way, from the beginning a framework of relationships is created based more on trust than on the lack of it and, on the other hand, the fact that the therapist presents himself appropriately can make the patient see that he himself has a role. which was not expected.
A simple handshake, for example, is enough to make patients significantly more receptive to the attention of the psychologist and healthcare personnel in general.
2. Make non-verbal and verbal language match each other
Generating rapport is largely about minimizing possible distortions in the interpretation of the other’s expressions. That’s why, It is important to express oneself in a clean way, without contradictions between what is said and what is done For example, inviting a patient to explain her problem while keeping her arms crossed is something that damages the quality of the therapeutic relationship, since an inconsistent message is sent.
To delve deeper into this important aspect, you can take a look at this article:
3. Formulate statements without ambiguity
This is one of the guidelines to follow that requires good preparation for verbal expression. Consists in use accessible and clear language, without spaces that could give rise to double meanings or unfinished sentences This way the other person will not have to struggle to unravel the meaning of what is said, something that could already generate rejection.
Although it is not noticeable, Therapists launch small “probe balloons” at the patient to test the strength of the therapeutic relationship For example, they can break mirroring by adopting a very different posture from that of the other person or by modifying the rhythm of speech to see if this initiative is imitated. If the patient adapts to these changes, rapport is being successfully established.
5. Do self-criticism frequently
The psychologists They spend a lot of time self-evaluating to discover which dynamics work and which do not when establishing a therapeutic relationship with the patient Therefore, the quality of rapport improves as the imperfections of this alliance between psychologist and patient are polished, something that occurs thanks to self-study.
To sum up
In the consultation, Rapport is the therapeutic relationship that balances between the difference in patient-professional roles and the common goal of collaborating to solve a problem Therefore, rapport is not exactly a capacity of the therapist nor a tool that is implemented unilaterally, but something that is generated in the dynamics of interactions with the patient.
It is something that must be nurtured by both parties, but for which the psychologist is especially prepared. Thanks to a mixture of empathy and coherence in what is expressed, a therapist can establish a relationship framework in which rapport arises practically spontaneously.
Depending on the roles that people have to adopt and the goals to be achieved, Good harmony between agents can give rise to various types of rapport that adapt to each situation although its fundamentals are always the same.
