Developing Rapport in Client–Practitioner Relationships

Abstract

Given the ubiquitous acknowledgement that rapport is important in building and maintaining practitioner–client relationships, it is surprising that there is little available within the sport psychology literature to help practitioners understand this component of interpersonal skills. This chapter provides a current conceptual foundation for and stresses the importance of rapport in applied practice. Subsequently, rich evidence from conversations with experienced practitioners is presented as a clarification and extension of how rapport is developed and used in applied sport psychology. This includes the importance of making a connection with clients, being courteous, attentive, and finding common ground, in addition to the exchange of information. Reflections on this evidence with applications and suggested implications for rapport-consistent behaviours in future practice are also provided.