The purpose of this essay is to examine how practitioners in outpatient care apply relationship based practice within a manual-based treatment program for youth involved in crime. Practitioners need to navigate between standardized methods and their clients’ individual needs, which could be perceived as a challenging balance to maintain. This essay is based on six qualitative interviews with professionals working within Swedish social services, who are all qualified practitioners within the manual-based program Ett nytt vägval. The results show that the interviewees have a positive outlook on the manual-based treatment program and do not perceive the program as restrictive in regard to relationship based practice and professional discretion. The practitioners are perceived to maintain a sufficient level of autonomy in their interactions with their clients, allowing them to build helpful relationships.