The phenomenon of silence as a communication is explored in the dialogue between patient and therapist. The focus is on examining silence in the context within which it occurs, providing the opportunity to understand its variations while keeping in mind that the therapist's own awareness of the meanings is also part of what must be considered. Our aim is to highlight some different meanings and functions that silence can play in the psychotherapeutic relationship, from the perspectives of both the patient and therapist. In the closing section, we not only reflect on the more frightening aspects of silence, but also remind the reader that silence has the potential to help individuals reorient their lives, and that shared silence can function as a gateway for healing.
In this article we wish to discuss different normative dilemmas that teachers and psychotherapists meet in their work with the student and the patient. We argue that crucial for a good practice is not the actual choice between normativity and freedom, between generalized or authorized standards and individual dialogue. Rather it is the professional’s continuous reflection on the form and quality of the interactions with the pupil and the patient, and the preservation of the balance between personal ethos and professional responsibilities that best safeguard respect for the other's autonomy and self-determination. By illustrating psychotherapeutic malpractice and systematic mistreatment of children in the name of education, we wish to remind the reader that official governmental authorization of the professions pedagogy and psychology/psychotherapy is not automatically a guarantee for high professional standards or for the best possible teaching and psychotherapy.
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