Therapists can help to build rapport with their patients by noting that it takes courage and hard work to participate fully in therapy. This stance can help to counteract patients' beliefs that it is a sign of weakness and incompetence to be in treatment. In essence, the therapist tries to help the patient to take the shame out of being a patient. Additionally, by establishing the baseline notion that therapy will be difficult, the therapist reduces the chance that a patient will bail out of treatment at the first sign of discomfort.

The therapist can liken the pain of going through therapy to the pain of receiving medical treatment for a wound or a broken bone. Although the procedures hurt, they enable the patient to heal and to be strong. The adage, "If it hurts, you know the medicine is working," is appropriate in this regard. By contrast, if the patient comes to learn that he or she actually enjoys and looks forward to therapy sessions; it will seem like a bonus benefit.