Increased self-awareness can lead to increased clinical skill. For example, knowing how you feel is often a prerequisite for tuning in to how others feel, that, in turn, leads to the development of empathy. So how does one go about increasing ones self-awareness? There are many paths to heightening ones self-awareness. In my opinion, the hallmarks of a caring and effective psychotherapist are: (1) voraciously reading the professional literature with an eye towards understanding the patients who we see; (2) obtaining supervision from a clinician who is oriented toward helping you to deepen your understanding of your countertransference reactions and actively consulting with colleagues, in a confidential setting, about ones clinical work (3) seeking one's own psychotherapy or psychoanalysis. The latter can, in fact, alter your life trajectory.

Obviously, there is much more to be said about each of these. And, in fact, volumes have been written. We'll be talking more about each of these things, in class and in the blog. But, for now, in thinking about reading, I'd love to hear from you as to books that you have found particularly helpful. In my next post, I'll talk about a few that I found particularly helpful. Best to all, Sincerely,

Lynn Friedman, Ph.D.

(c) January 3, 2010 - Lynn Friedman, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Confidentiality Policy: Please note for reasons of confidentiality and copyright all letters to the blogger will be summarized and edited. Also, I will not write about real patients. Instead, I will create fictionalized vignettes. When you pose a clinical question, please ask it in a general way. DO NOT write about real patients. Thank you.
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Lynn Friedman, Ph.D.
Psychologist, psychoanalyst, work-life consultant
Faculty Associate, Johns Hopkins University
5480 Wisconsin Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
301.656.9650
www.drlynnfriedman.com
www.corporationsonthecouch.com
www.drlynnfriedman.typepad.com
www.twitter.com/drlynnfriedman
For those seeking, evaluation for psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, supervision or consultation, I welcome your call.
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