Response mode analysis seeks to classify the utterances of psychotherapists and others offering personal help, with respect to the interpersonal function of the utterance. It is applicable in diverse settings, and irrespective of the theoretical orientation of the helper or the researcher. The present study presents reliability data on a new such system of analysis, incorporating a novel mode, termed exploration. Intermediate between interpretation and reflection, this mode taps the theoretically important effort by the helper to construct a frame of reference shared with the client. Results indicated that the additional precision gained by the introduction of this new mode was not accompanied by any loss in reliability as compared with previous research. Overall, the system achieved acceptable reliability although the data cautioned against overinterpretation of the codings of individual response units.