RELATIONSHIP THESAURUS

THERAPIST AND PATIENT



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Relationship Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

Relationships are part of the very fabric of your character’s life. How well or poorly they get along with others oftentimes comes down to personality, so carefully consider the positive traits and negative traits of your story’s cast. Another factor that can pull characters together or create friction is motivation, so keep each individual’s goal—both at the scene and story level—in mind as you write.
DESCRIPTION:
A patient visits a therapist to receive treatment and rehabilitation in support of their mental and emotional wellbeing. A therapist's guidance helps the patient identify their emotions, cope with daily challenges, reduce symptoms of mental illness, and make life choices.

RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS:
Below are a wide range of dynamics that may accompany this relationship. Use the ideas that suit your story and work best for your characters to bring about and/or resolve the necessary conflict.

A therapist and patient working together willingly to solve a problem
A therapist working with a reluctant patient, such as a teen whose parent is making them attend sessions or an addict partaking in court-enforced rehab
A patient seeing an overworked or incompetent therapist who isn't really helping
Two willing participants who just aren't a good fit for each other
A once-willing patient backsliding into destructive habits and no longer being honest with their therapist
A long-term patient becoming frustrated with their lack of progress and pulling away from the therapist
A therapist becoming too emotionally involved in a patient's situation

CHALLENGES THAT COULD THREATEN THE STATUS QUO:
The therapist quitting their practice
The patient or therapist relocating
Insurance changing for either the patient or the therapist's practice
Either party developing feelings beyond the professional relationship
Either party accusing the other of inappropriate conduct
The patient suffering a severe setback (a relapse, family tragedy, job loss, breakup, etc.)
The patient refusing to participate in a session
The therapist giving the patient bad guidance or wrongly diagnosing them
The patient not following through on their appointments, promises, or the advice of the therapist
A physical health development that requires the patient to stop taking the medication the therapist has prescribed
The patient's situation stirring up painful memories for the therapist
The patient failing to pay for services
The therapist not having the skills, knowledge, or experience to help the patient
The therapist exerting too much control over the patient
A needy patient demanding too much time or attention from their therapist

WOUNDS THAT COULD FACTOR INTO THE RELATIONSHIP:
...

POSSIBLE CONFLICT SCENARIOS:
...

CONFLICTING DESIRES THAT CAN IMPAIR THE RELATIONSHIP:
...

CLASHING PERSONALITY TRAIT COMBINATIONS:
...

NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF FRICTION:
...

FICTIONAL SCENARIOS THAT COULD TURN THESE CHARACTERS INTO ALLIES:
...

WAYS THIS RELATIONSHIP MAY LEAD TO POSITIVE GROWTH:
...

THEMES AND SYMBOLS THAT CAN BE EXPLORED THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP:
...