The smoothness advantage: Session quality and symptom change in a training clinic.

< .001); clients who generally experienced smoother, more comfortable therapeutic interactions demonstrated significantly better overall symptom trajectories. Findings challenge the "no pain, no gain" assumption in short-term psychotherapy and counseling with young adults. While depth contributes to cumulative change, establishing a consistent "smoothness advantage," a comfortable and safe relational foundation, appears critical for symptom relief in this population. For novice therapists, prioritizing relational safety over premature depth may optimize outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).