What makes us competent therapists? And why it is important how we go about it: A discussion of Mustafa Çevrim’s “The vulture in the room”

Discussing Mustafa Çevrim's clinical paper, this article focuses on what it means to feel competent in the treatment room. The felt questioning of our competence or perceived rejection of our therapeutic efforts often activates our trailing edge. It is therefore essential that therapists also reflect on their experiences in an intersubjective context. In addition, therapeutic competencies must be acquired in a process that closely links theory and practice. The article uses Mustafa's case to examine which abilities and skills are of central importance for progress in treatment from the perspective of intersubjective Self Psychology.