The clinical interview. Reflections of a psychologist in training

Abstract

The clinical interview is one of the most important tools in personality diagnosis and is the moment when the foundations for the therapeutic relationship are laid. The relationship between the subject and the psychologist is unique because it is structured and developed based on the two individuals: people come into play in their entirety. The decoding of nonverbal messages sent by the subject is therefore a moment of enormous importance, also considered as a verification of what is expressed verbally. The level of communication therefore depends on the psychologist's ability to enter the client's world and grasp what Adler calls the individual's lifestyle. The psychologist is required to work continuously on themselves as evidence of their genuine interest in human problems and, in particular, in the subject who is present at that moment