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Constituting the main framework and structural features of psychotherapy, therapeutic frame is studied from various perspectives in terms of its different aspects and functions. This case study aimed both to illustrate the practices of therapeutic frame and to discuss the role of therapeutic frame in understanding the emotional needs and internal representations of a depressive client. The case was presenting with depressive mood and a number of relationship conflicts. Psychotherapy process was conducted during clinical psychology education of the therapist in accordance with object relations theory framework. Concepts of transference and countertransference were also integrated in this context in order to examine the relational patterns and developmental characteristics. The effects of possible cultural factors on therapeutic frame's functions and transference-countertransference dynamics were also discussed. All in all, the assessment of interpersonal and intrapersonal boundaries, planning the interventions, and elaborating on the presenting problems in psychotherapy are concluded to be closely related to the therapeutic frame's functions of containment and external reality for this case example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic relationship is a professional relationship that has been structured based on theoretical props. This relationship is a complicated, wide and unique relationship which develops between two people, where both sides' personality and attitudes inevitably interfere. Therapist-client relationship experienced through transference and counter transference, especially in psychodynamic approaches, is accepted as the main aspect of therapeutic process. However, the approaches without dynamic/deterministic tendency also take therapist-client relationship into account seriously and stress uniqueness of interaction between two people. Being a person and a human naturally sometimes may negatively influence the relationship between the therapist and client and result in a relationship going out of the theoretical frame at times. As effective components of a therapeutic process, the factors that stem from being human include the unique personalities of the therapist and the client, their values and their attitude either made consciously or subconsciously. Literature has shown that the human-related factors are too effective to be denied in therapeutic relationship process. Ethical and theoretical knowledge can be inefficient to prevent the negative effects of these factors in therapeutic process at which point a deep insight and supervision would have a critical role in continuing an acceptable therapeutic relationship. This review is focused on the reflection of some therapeutic factors resulting from being human and development of counter transference onto the therapeutic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]