ABSTRACT
Family therapist Carl Whitaker was known for saying that “techniques are things used while waiting for the therapist to show up” (Murray & Rotter, 2002, p. 204). This is, of course, part of the picture. Without technique, the psychotherapeutic act lacks rigour and structure. But techniques often become a convenient cathexis to attach to, sometimes on the expense of connection, or the ability to remain mindful of here-and-now occurrences. In attempting to balance science, art, and hermeneutics, mutuality and asymmetry, techniques can often turn from that which supports us and our work, to obstacles and hindrances.
