Relational therapy focuses on how a person’s relationships can impact their well-being. Sometimes referred to as relational-cultural therapy or relational psychotherapy, relational therapy is based on the concept that maintaining balanced and fulfilling relationships with other people can contribute to better emotional health.

Relational therapy is designed to help people learn how to build supportive, respectful, and lasting relationships—starting with a strong connection between them and their relational therapist. It offers teens and young adults a chance to understand how their past experiences may be preventing them from creating healthy relationships and provides the skills to improve their existing relationships.

One of the primary goals of relational therapy is to help people feel connected and understood by creating a trusting, empathetic therapeutic relationship. During a session, a relational therapist will listen to a person’s past experiences and memories in order to better understand how they impact their current ability to form meaningful relationships.

Relational therapy was coined by psychiatrist and relational therapist Dr. Jean Baker Miller in the 1970’s. Although there’s limited scientific research published on relational therapy, it’s based on several well-known theories such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy.

Similar to other forms of talk therapy, relational therapy can be used to help people understand how their past experiences affect the way they currently think, act, and pursue relationships.  Relational therapists will also sometimes utilize relational psychoanalysis to dive even deeper into the ways clients build and maintain relationships. At the same time, there are several distinct elements that relational therapy apart from other forms of therapy.

Relational therapy:

• Emphasizes the client-therapist relationship (sometimes referred to as the therapeutic alliance)
• Considers social and cultural factors, such as a person’s race, gender, sexuality, social economic class, and politics
• Draws a connection between a person’s ability to connect with others and how they handle stress and anxiety

Relational therapy can benefit teens and young adults for a variety of reasons, but it seems to be particularly useful for people who struggle to maintain healthy relationships. It’s also used to help treat symptoms of the following mental health conditions:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders
• Trauma
• PTSD
• Anger

Additionally, relational therapy is considered to be an effective form of therapy for people with medical conditions. It’s specifically used to help people learn how to navigate the relationships with doctors, nurses, and their care team, as well as conveying sensitive information to family.

Conversely, relational therapy is not the best fit for people with avoidant personality disorder or people who are resistant to treatment.