Removing the “mystery” in therapy: transparency as a continuous intervention in family psychotherapy

ABSTRACT When clients attend therapy, there is often “mystery” regarding the therapist’s model, use of specific interventions, and how change occurs in the therapy room. Unlike therapist’s use of self-disclosure, which is the exposure of the therapist’s personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences, this article introduces a new concept—therapeutic transparency. Therapeutic transparency allows an open dialogue between therapist and client regarding how change occurs and the tenets of the therapist’s model. This article discusses the importance of being transparent in the therapy process and five steps that therapists should engage in to help remove mystery and increase client participation.