"A doctor must be familiar with the so-called "methods." But he must guard against falling into any specific, routine approach. In general one must guard against theoretical assumptions...To my mind, in dealing with individuals, only individual understanding will do. We need a different language for every patient...I confront the patient as one human being to another.

"The psychotherapist, however, must understand not only the patient; it is equally important that he should understand himself...The patient's treatment begins with the doctor, so to speak. Only if the doctor knows how to cope with himself and his own problems will he be able to teach the patient to do the same...If he cannot do that, the patient will not learn either.

"The doctor cannot cure without committing himself. When important matters are at stake, it makes all the difference whether the doctor see himself as a part of the drama, or cloaks himself in his authority.

"As a doctor I constantly have to ask myself what kind of message the patient is bringing me. What does he mean to me? If he means nothing, I have no point of attack. The doctor is effective only when he himself is affected. 'Only the wounded physician heals.' But when the doctor wears his personality like a coat of armor, he has no effect. I take my patients seriously. Perhaps I am confronted with a problem just as much as they. It often happens that the patient is exactly the right plaster for the doctor's sore spot."