Understanding the therapeutic alliance in stroke rehabilitation.

Establishing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance appears to be an individualised and complex process. A clinician's ability to use their personal attributes therapeutically, and professional skills flexibly, appeared integral to relationship quality.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONDeveloping therapeutic relationships requires a person-centred and sometimes family/whānau-centred approach.The judicious use of self-disclosure may achieve emotional proximity and yet maintain professional boundaries.Maintaining relationship health requires a proactive approach to detect and manage relationship disruptions.