The therapeutic relationship, more than any particular technique or intervention, is the key to therapeutic success. Positive regard is a crucial component of that relationship.

This book reconsiders the role of positive regard in contemporary psychotherapies.

Positive regard, along with the therapist's empathy and genuineness, is one of Carl Rogers' three "necessary and sufficient" conditions for therapeutic change. However, positive regard is the least well-researched and most misunderstood of the three conditions. It has long been conceived as a potential ingredient in the formation and development of an effective therapeutic relationship, but many therapists in recent decades have considered positive regard a dubious ingredient, too oblivious to human frailty and malevolence, and too susceptible to a therapist's potential for collusion with patients' defenses and resistance to change.

Written for a variety of psychotherapists, this book offers an investigation into the efficacy of positive regard by examining its history, evolution, misperceptions, criticisms, and value. The authors argue for a broader acceptance of the role of positive regard across diverse patients and therapies.

Jessica Y. Suzuki, PhD, is a client-centered therapist trained in a relational psychodynamic approach. Dr. Suzuki received her PhD from Columbia University Teachers College. She believes that client outcome depends on the quality of patient-therapist collaboration and on therapeutic strategies. She incorporates CBT strategies to scaffold behavioral change and draws on mindfulness and experiential approaches to strengthen self-compassion, insight, and healing.

Daisy Ort is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology PhD program. Her research experience with the Psychotherapy, Affirmation, & Disclosure Lab began as a Masters student at Teachers College in 2013. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she worked within New York City's mental health and legal systems conducting research at a criminal justice nonprofit, co-leading weekly support groups at federal jails, and facilitating forensic psychological evaluations for immigration purposes. As a graduate student, she is interested in better understanding relational aspects of psychotherapy across different contexts. Previous research projects assessed the role of informal supervision among psychotherapy trainees, and client disclosure in correctional settings. Currently, she and her research team are exploring factors associated with therapists' perceptions of positive regard, as well as clients' experience of teletherapy since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.