Self-disclosure in psychotherapy practice and supervision: An introduction

Disclosure in psychotherapy may be considered from multiple perspectives: therapist to patient, patient to therapist, trainee to supervisor, and supervisor to trainee. Individuals in each of these roles must decide if, when, and how they should articulate certain thoughts or feelings to their therapeutic counterpart. Multicultural considerations may well influence these decisions. The articles in this issue, including two that are research reviews, question the value and parameters of self-disclosure in each of these contexts: they speak to the inevitable tension within psychotherapeutic dyads between the demands of open and honest disclosures and the equally potent countervailing forces of shame, tact, and appropriateness. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.