Establishing Therapeutic Rapport in Telemental Health

Concepts of rapport and therapeutic alliance have been found to be robust predictors of treatment response and can be impacted by technology found in telemental health. This chapter reviews the relevant research on rapport and the concepts of therapeutic alliance as they impact telemental health and discusses practical considerations impacting technology choices, such as technology that allows sufficient bandwidth for fluid transmissions and detailed observations of patients. Careful consideration of rapport within the context of individual interactions, relationships with local clinicians, and communities at large are also discussed. The focus is on a practical understanding of rapport with concrete recommendations to develop relationships within the telemental health setting.