A functional analytic perspective of therapist intimacy in and out of session

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) proposes that the therapeutic relationship is a social microcosm for both the client and therapist’s lives. The present study addresses this proposition in regards to therapist relationships by examining intimacy and self-disclosure within personal and therapeutic contexts. Eighty therapists from various training backgrounds completed self-report assessments separately examining intimacy within and outside of the session, including the FAP Intimacy Scale and the Functional Idiographic Assessment Template. Overall, results indicate that specific intimacy-promoting behaviors (expressing positive emotions and genuineness) are related across relationship contexts (p < 0.05). When comparing groups of FAP-trained vs. FAP naive therapists, FAP trained therapists utilize more intimacy behaviors within session than FAP naive therapists (p < 0.05), suggesting that trainings in FAP cultivate a repertoire for intimate behavior. These results suggest that therapists’ behave in similar ways within and outside of session and that FAP training may increase therapists’ comfort with intimacy within session. Further clinical implications and future directions are discussed.