The therapist is affected: hermeneutics as a clinical position

The present paper describes a clinical experience at a hospital for custody and psychiatric treatment. After the suicide of one of his patients, the author faces the question about the supposed neutrality of the analyst in order to understand that he himself is in a process of mourning. The clinical question to be raised refers to the therapist´s posture as being "affectable," in opposition to some neutral and emotionally unmovable scientist. This aspect will be analyzed from Hans-Georg Gadamer´s position of hermeneutics (1900-2002).

Neutrality; hermeneutics; dialogue; mourning