Becoming a skilled clinician is a special journey. It works best when intellect and intuition are in sync.  Intellectually, the journey is complicated by the vast and varied approaches to psychotherapy. Each theory holds different ideas about what constitutes success, and also about how we get there. Furthermore, our theories are like musical notes, as we must play them on the instruments of our own personalities. We can’t help but do things differently from each other, no matter how similar our views might be.

Then there’s the intuitive and nonverbal aspect of clinical process. In addition to the ways we bring the musical notes of theory to life through our words, there’s music embedded in the process of individuals interacting. This includes the rhythms and sounds of each person’s voice, their pace, and how quietly or loudly they speak.  It’s also part of people’s emotionality, their gestures and shifting positions. We need to be attuned to both rhythms and words. Success emerges through the subtle and nuanced interplay of words and music, client and therapist.