The many faces of self-disclosure

The contributions of eight authors to this issue of In Session are discussed, with emphasis on who discloses what to whom, in what ways, and for what reasons. The primary conclusions concern the varieties of self-disclosure, the motives for self-disclosure, the appropriate outcome variable in studying self-disclosure, the value of evidence, the importance of the context, and the crucial role of the relationship. Self-disclosure, properly used, can be a significant contributor to successful psychotherapy.