Two Modes of Communication

Abstract

While it’s true that there are many avenues of emotional expression — for example affects, physical symptoms, behaviours, body posture and so on — none is more concisely expressed and deeply revealing than the words spoken by the participants in psychotherapy sessions. For this reason, we turn now to a study of the verbal exchanges between patients and their therapists. To begin this pursuit, let’s look at another brief clinical vignette:

Ms Exeter is a young woman in her early twenties who has been hospitalized on an inpatient unit because of a serious depression. Her therapist, Dr Frank, had inadvertently forgotten and missed the session prior to the hour whose opening minutes I shall now briefly excerpt.