Theoretical orientation and therapists' view of the healthy client

An investigation of 48 therapists, who were classified as either experiential or analytical in their theoretical orientation, revealed that the two therapist groups were different in the way they described a healthy client using the California Q-sort. As predicted, experiential therapists scored significantly higher on expressive items than did the analytical therapists, but no difference was found for coping items. Coping items were highly valued by both groups. Further analysis revealed experiential therapists' placing more emphasis on being decisive, committed, and focused on erotic experiences, but less emphasis on being rational, verbal, and emotionally consistent.