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To a Beginning Psychotherapist: How to Conduct Individual Psychotherapy

Published Online:30 Apr 2018https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1998.52.1.103

Abstract

This paper offers the novice psychotherapist a general orientation to the experience and problems of conducting individual psychotherapy. An implicit but clearly humanistic philosophy is presented through pragmatic and time-tested general observations and a number of specific guidelines and cautions. The patient-therapist relation is treated in a way designed to optimize the outcome for patient and therapist alike.