Developing Dialogicity in Relational Practices: Reflecting on Experiences from Open Dialogues

The paper analyses open dialogicity in psychotherapy and juxtaposes it with education in order to find common dialogical elements in all relational practices. The core is found in unconditional respect for otherness and generating dialogical space for voices to be heard. In traditional practice, professionals are tempted to plan interventions according to the goals of change informed by their methods and in team work and multi‐professional practices they may even do this between themselves, away from the clients. Pre‐set categories, plans and goals, however well founded they may seem, hinder listening. Following what others present here‐and‐now calls for tolerating uncertainty. Insight into developing dialogical family therapy opens through focusing on how therapists join in interacting with families instead of focusing on and interpreting the interactions of families. The conclusions provide a set of reflective questions for improving being in the present moment in psychotherapy practice.