Author:

Keywords:

therapist's self, dialogical self, inner conversation, dialogue, inner voices, therapeutic process, psychotherapy, voices, not-knowing, therapist's inner conversation, Social Sciences, Psychology, Clinical, Family Studies, Psychology, VOICES, Cognition, Communication, Ego, Family Therapy, Humans, Professional-Patient Relations, Speech, Verbal Behavior, 1607 Social Work, 1701 Psychology, 4409 Social work, 5201 Applied and developmental psychology, 5203 Clinical and health psychology

Abstract:

In this article, the focus is on the therapist's self, which will be in line with Bakhtin's thinking, viewed as a dialogical self. First, the dialogical view of the self is situated in the context of psychology's traditional focus on the individual self Then, leaning on Bakhtin and Volosinov, the self is described as a dialogue of multiple inner voices. Some of the implications of this concept for family therapy practice are examined, focusing especially on the therapist's participation in the therapeutic process and on the therapist's inner conversation. The author argues that not-knowing does not only refer to the therapist's receptivity and respect but also implies that the therapist is aware of his or her experience and reflects on how his or her inner conversation might inform and enrich the therapeutic conversation. Finally, these ideas are illustrated with a brief clinical vignette.