Relational Savoring Using Guided Reflection to Strengthen Relationships and Improve Outcomes in Therapy

This book provides an overview of the science and practice of relational savoring, a brief, guided reflection exercise that helps clients reconnect with memories of being closely connected with another person.

Positive connection with others provide essential psychological benefits. Yet for many therapy clients, it is all too easy to overlook these positive moments. Relational savoring helps clients reflect on and value these experiences and relationships, to achieve improved relationship satisfaction and better emotion regulation.
 
This book blends research, theory, expert clinical guidance, and compelling case examples to show how therapists can use the relational savoring approach with clients. Therapists first help clients choose an appropriate memory to savor, then guide them through a reflection exercise where they reflect on the emotions, thoughts, and significance associated with a close-connected experience occurring within an attachment relationship (e.g., parent-child or intimate partnerships).
 
Relational savoring is an ideal complement to other, ongoing interventions. Alternatively, the approach can be used on its own. Given its versatility, effectiveness, and brevity, this intervention will be a welcome addition to any therapist’s toolkit.
 

Jessica Borelli is a professor of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD in psychology from Yale University. Dr. Borelli’s work focuses on the intersection of relationships and health. She has published more than 150 articles in her area of interest. In collaboration with Dr. Stacey Doan, she is the author of a parenting book, Nature Meets Nurture: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Resilient Kids. In addition to her academic work, she is a practicing psychologist specializing in children and families, and is the clinical director of Compass Therapy, a private practice in Newport Beach, California.

1. Overview of Relational Savoring
Part I. Theoretical and Empirical Support
2. Theoretical Principles Underlying Relational Savoring
3. Evidence Base for Relational Savoring
Part II. The How-To of Relational Savoring
4. Phase One: Memory Generation
5. Phase Two: Memory Reflection
6. Addressing General Areas of Difficulty and Clinical Techniques to Circumvent Them
Part III. Relational Savoring in Clinical Context
7. Tailoring Your Relational Savoring Intervention to Your Individual Client
8. Adapting Relational Savoring to be Appropriate for Individuals with Specific Mental Health Concerns
9. Relational Savoring in Couples and Families
10. The Cultural Congruence of Relational Savoring and Partnering with Community Agencies to Heighten It
Afterword: Relational Savoring for Clinicians