Curiosity and questioning in phenomenological psychopathology: cohesion and contrasts with formulation and open dialogue

Clinicians are called upon to address complex epistemic challenges as they attempt to uncover and grasp subjective experiences of psychopathology in their clinical work. What equips them to achieve this? In seeking to extend an intellectual virtue account of phenomenological psychopathology, which highlights the role of the clinician qua investigator of meaning, I consider the importance of curiosity and the virtue-associated skills of questioning and dialogue. This is illustrated by contrasting good and bad clinical encounters. Subsequently, I consider the extent to which clinicians are supported to cultivate curiosity in their education and training, and in what ways phenomenological psychopathology, formulation, and Open Dialogue foster clinicians’ epistemic agency. I identify potential challenges to cultivating curious questioning and dialogue in clinical training, and conclude by offering educational recommendations that seek to complement efforts to elicit subjective understanding and support fruitful therapeutic intervention.