What do you think?
Rate this book


235 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2006
The qualities of a good therapist transcend the different schools of thought. The essential ingredients are accurate empathy (the therapist must really understand what the patient is going through, it is not enough just to feel sorry for them), unconditional regard (the therapist has to like and respect the patient, you can’t do therapy with someone you really dislike), and non-possessive warmth (the therapist must be able to show warmth without making the patient feel beholden to them). These insights are particularly useful in psychiatric practice. Matching patients and therapists really does matter – not all of us can get on with everyone. To work with violent or sexual offenders, for instance, requires a particularly tolerant and forgiving individual.