In a paper that Meares & Hobson wrote in 1977 (1) they made reference to the qualities of a therapists that may contribute to misunderstandings in therapy and the many ways in which the therapist may ‘persecute’ the patient. This paper explores those moments when a therapy falters and offers an understanding of the complexity of attributions that are made by those inside and those outside the therapeutic dyad. This paper will attempt to assess the contributions that each party makes to these moments and attempt to ‘blame’ the right person. It will do so by looking at clinical material, conducted by a therapist using The Conversational Model approach to therapy. The Conversational Model is a relational approach that recognises the mutuality of influence and the co-construction of therapeutic reality. It focuses on the minute particulars of communication and evaluates the significance of what is said by tracking ‘what happens next’. This approach may allow us to better understand 1. How certain transference and counter-transference phenomena emerge 2. The complexity of what is going on and 3. Make the correct attributions with respect to it who is responsible for what in every exchange. 1. Meares, R., & Hobson, R. F. (1977). The persecutory therapist. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 50, 349-359.