The person of the therapist

Abstract

This article focuses on the contribution of the person of the therapist to outcome, drawing on my experience as a practitioner and trainer in psychotherapy plus research findings. The view is personal, reflecting my philosophy in life as well as an evolved perspective on what is important in effective psychotherapy. While the conclusions may not apply to all therapies, I am confident that they are important in the kind of psychotherapy that interests me. Their articulation may promote dialogue between clinicians and researchers and initiate research on important issues in clinical practice. To understand my focus, I need to sketch my formation as a therapist, identify some of the colleagues who have inspired me, and describe the clinical context for which practice methods have had to be evolved. Although this inevitably gives an individual case to the conclusions, declaring my bias enables readers to compare their position. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)(chapter)