A path with heart: Secrets and lessons from an old therapist

This article represents a thoughtful review of nearly a half century of clinical experience as a humanistically oriented psychotherapist. The insights presented here, grounded in an existential-phenomenological perspective, represent curated lessons and practical wisdom distilled from a lifetime of work, including over 4 decades in private practice. Four “cornerstones” of being an effective therapist are identified and developed. These cornerstones include: (a) the utilization of active listening and pacing techniques, (b) entering into and staying with the client in his/her world, (c) having balanced sensibilities and a good heart, and (d) prioritizing personal renewal. Other issues addressed include the constitution of the ego, healing as narrative transformation, the role of spirituality in psychotherapy, and the potential recognition of a “new” kind of intentionality related specifically to the interpersonal healing situation as manifest in the face-to-face therapeutic encounter. Finally, considerations related to the use of psychotropic medication and certain natural healing alternatives are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)