Differentiating life goals and therapeutic goals: expanding our understanding of the working alliance

Reviews have shown that goal consensus and collaboration between client and therapist are significant for treatment outcome. This study introduces a differentiation between goals and tasks in the client's everyday life and goals and tasks in psychotherapy sessions while focusing on the links between the two. Five typical types of problematic goal constellations in clients' lives that bring them into psychotherapy are identified. Possible therapeutic goals and tasks that can support clients in relation to these are presented. The study shows how problematic life goals may be transformed by means of therapeutic goals and tasks. Examples highlight the relevance of the distinction between life and therapeutic goals. The study offers a possible expansion of Bordin's concept of the working alliance.