Development of a client feedback tool: a qualitative study of therapists’ experiences of using the Therapy Personalisation Forms

A qualitative study was conducted of therapists’ experiences of using two clinical tools that have been designed to stimulate dialogue with clients about their preferences for style of therapeutic working: the Therapy Personalisation Form (TPF) and the Therapy Personalisation Form – Assessment (TPF-A). Ten therapists who had used the tools in clinical practice were interviewed about their experiences, with data analysed thematically. Therapists were generally positive about the clinical utility of the tools: they felt that they were helpful means of finding out what clients wanted from therapy such that it could be tailored accordingly, and could also serve as valuable sources of reflection and learning about their own practices. In addition, they believed that the forms were empowering for clients and helped to move the therapeutic relationship forward. In terms of limitations, the participants felt that the forms could lead to increased therapist self-criticism and over-moulding to the clients’ wishes, and may be too complex or burearcratic for some clients. The results suggest that the TPF and TPF-A may be of value to therapist and clients, though more research is needed on clients’ experiences of using this measure.