Why do therapists keep making the same avoidable mistakes?

In this episode, Dr. Bruce Wampold sits down with Dr. Mick Cooper — Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Roehampton and an internationally recognized expert in humanistic, existential, and pluralistic therapies.

Together, Bruce and Mick break down common therapist mistakes and their impact on the therapeutic alliance. Through fun and helpful role-plays, they even demonstrate how these common mistakes can show up in the therapy room, and what more effective responses might look like.

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Topics include:

• Being too passive (too much silence, not enough engagement)

• Talking too much, or saying things that just aren’t relevant

• Being too cognitive and avoiding emotion

• Letting that “therapist voice” or rigid techniques get in the way of authenticity

• Avoiding affect even when it’s clearly right there

• Colluding with the client instead of exploring the meaning

• Assuming your preferred model is the “right” one for every client

• Failing to explain how therapy works, or why what you’re doing may be helpful

And later in the episode, Bruce and Mick dive into live role-plays portraying how these mistakes can show up in the therapy room — and what more effective responses might look like.

Whether you're a clinician, supervisor, trainee, or simply curious about what actually happens in the therapy room, this episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the micro-skills that matter most.

What do YOU think therapists should never do? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your perspective in the comments!

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share — your support helps us keep these conversations going.

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👉 Be sure to also check out Mick's related video! 👈

How NOT to do Counseling: 13 Things to Try and Avoid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOk7mR5mFLE

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Mick Cooper, Ph.D. | Professor of Counseling Psychology, University of Roehampton; Author of numerous books, including: Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy and Psychology at the Heart of Social Change: Developing a Progressive Vision for Society. Check out his books here! https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mick-Cooper/author/B001H6PZPQ

Bruce Wampold, Ph.D. | Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Author of The Great Psychotherapy Debate

Produced and edited by Geissy Araújo, Ph.D. and Kevin Riordan.

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The Making Therapy Better podcast is brought to you by CarePaths EHR, an electronic health record system designed to help you improve therapy outcomes.

https://www.carepaths.com

Follow the Making Therapy Better project:

🌐 Website: www.makingtherapybetter.com

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Intro/outro music by Chris Haugen, free for public use.