ABSTRACT
Psychiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers, and other health service professionals meet clients who fall silent in ways that can be frustrating and even threatening to those around them. Silence on the part of the client or patient may be associated with feelings of pleasure or joy or even peace, but it may also be for them a means of expressing anger, apathy, resentment, and other emotions, or else be a sign of denial. Dr. Heidi Levitt of the University of Massachusetts has conducted research interviews with psychotherapy clients who have experienced different therapeutic approaches. These clients identified for her silent moments that they found beneficial in various ways. Their silences may be divided into three principal productive categories, being emotional, expressive, and reflective. The question of silence takes on a particularly trying aspect in the case of callers to crisis centres.
