title: When we were comrades together: a note on the language of assessment.
abstract: From a psychoanalytic perspective, the assessor is seen as more than a gatherer of data; he or she is viewed as a source of information independent of the tests as well as a potential vehicle of change. To effect these functions, the assessor needs to pay close attention to the language he or she uses in interaction with the patient. In this article, I present a case and then discuss it in terms of the role of language in the assessor-patient relationship: specifically, how the language used facilitated the establishing of a working alliance, the promoting of a meaningful dialogue, and eventually led to a deeper understanding of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Camden, Maine, USA.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lerner
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011572:Psychoanalysis; D014481:United States