Objective. This study explored influences on and relationships between the process of therapy, the formation of a therapeutic alliance, and characteristics of both clients and therapists. Focus was given to a client's ability to engage in perspective-taking (i.e., Interpersonal Decentering). Method. Participants (N = 47) were clients receiving therapy services in a graduate training clinic. Client Decentering was assessed shortly after an intake session, and alliance and process measures of the frequency of psychodynamic (PDT) and cognutee behavioral (CBT) techniques were collected after 3-5 therapy sessions from both clients and therapists. Results. Clients with diminished ability to internally represent the perspective of others report lower alliance scores than their therapists. Client alliance ratings were related to client?s ratings of PDT and CBT techniques; therapist alliance was influenced by the therapist?s rating of PDT techniques. Client education and therapist gender and experience significantly affected client and therapist ratings of therapy process. Conclusions. Findings suggest Decentering should serve as an assessment tool to chooses the appropriate selection of therapy techniques, and as a potential influence on alliance formation. Further implications for therapy practice are discussed.