To a beginning psychotherapist: how to conduct individual psychotherapy

The paper presents a realistic orientation to the practice of primarily insight psychotherapy. The principles, basic assumptions, and practical considerations are nevertheless applicable to all serious psychotherapy. Therapy is here understood not as a science or a matter of technique but as a collaborative and uniquely personal exploration of the patient's difficulties in living. Psychotherapy is thus seen as a search for meaning rather than for cure, with the hope that knowing what they are doing with their lives will enhance the ability of patients to live with more effectiveness and fulfillment. The limitations of therapy and therapists are fully recognized. Specific guidelines for initiating and conducting therapy are designed to promote genuine progress and reduce the risk of errors that are so easily made even by the experienced. As the medium of therapy, the patient-therapist interplay is presented from the perspective of both patient and therapist. The intelligent use of empathy and interpretation and the manifold forms of resistance all receive their share of attention. The paper concludes with a consideration of values, morality, and the importance of recognizing and respecting the spiritual dimension.