Therapeutic Ruptures: What to Do When Therapy Goes Off Track

In this course, psychologist Rachel Tomlinson introduces you to the practical realities of therapeutic rupture and repair within mental health treatment. The course explores how ruptures emerge through disengagement, conflict, cancellations, emotional withdrawal, and relational misattunement, while also examining the attachment and interpersonal dynamics that underpin these responses. You will learn practical in-session repair strategies, approaches for managing missed appointments and client withdrawal, and methods for regulating their own emotional responses during difficult therapeutic moments. Emphasis is placed on relational safety, collaborative repair, and using rupture as a meaningful opportunity for therapeutic growth and deeper alliance development.