Motivation in the client-counselor relationship

Abstract

The importance of client motivation for counseling and psychotherapy is just beginning to be explored. Yet it seems clear that motivation is an essential element, not only at the beginning of therapy but throughout. The present chapter reviews literature that explores a particular quality of motivation - autonomy - and argues that autonomous motivation for counseling is associated with better outcomes and is valued by therapists from widely divergent theoretical orientations. The chapter then explores a recently-proposed model of the relationship in psychotherapy (Wampold BE, Budge SL, Couns Psychol 40:601-623, 2012). The chapter concludes by proposing a revised model of the therapeutic relationship that specifically incorporates the concepts of autonomy support and autonomous motivation.