ABSTRACT
In a chapter on the psychotherapy training of novice psychiatrists, Jim Gustafson contrasts two types: "the attuned who lack perspective" and "the discerning who lack empathy." Each has something different to learn. This supervisee was in the former category. But her attunement seemed to go beyond the personal level and needed to be understood and named as "spiritual"—much as I try to avoid that overused word and nebulous concept whenever I can. This piece appeared in Psychiatric Times as "Our Residents' Calling..." in February 1996, and almost simultaneously in the Winter 1996 Voices with the more general "Trainee" title and language.
