Some patients (and therapists) bring distorted beliefs about themselves and other people to the therapy session. As a result of their genetic inheritance, their formative experiences, and the appraisal of their experiences, they develop certain “rules for living” and associated behavioral strategies, which may be adaptive in certain situations but are maladaptive in other contexts. Their dysfunctional beliefs may become activated in the context of psychotherapy and they may employ certain coping strategies which interfere with the development of a strong therapeutic alliance and with their ability to benefit from treatment. Conceptualizing relevant therapy-interfering beliefs about the therapist and associated maladaptive coping strategies is fundamental to planning interventions that can not only strengthen the alliance but that also can be generalized to improve their relationships outside of therapy.