Ep. 25 – Psychotherapeutic Listening with David I. Joseph, MD
Have you ever thought about how, when someone tells you what’s wrong, you only hear about half of it? Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. David Joseph has spent a career learning to listen for the other half. Which is the part a person doesn’t know they’re saying.
In Episode 25, Dr. Joseph, author of Listening for a Lifetime: The Artful Science of Psychotherapy, joins our host Dr. Gail Saltz to talk about what sets psychotherapeutic listening apart from the everyday kind. He also explains his metaphor for listening on two “wavelengths” and how he’s evolved that to describe the style as listening musically. Like following a string quartet, staying with the melody while tracking what every other instrument adds. In this conversation, we explore listening to yourself as you listen to your patient, the difference between remembering what a patient said and remembering what it meant, “point tenderness,” borrowed from the exam table, why transference is a reaction, not a noun, what to do with a hunch you can’t yet explain, and more.
Our Guest
David I. Joseph, M.D., is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst with more than 50 years of experience as a clinician, educator, and author of Listening for a Lifetime: The Artful Science of Psychotherapy. His work centers on the power of listening and the doctor-patient relationship, with a strong emphasis on respect for patient autonomy and emotional suffering. He has played a major role in psychiatric education, including serving as Director of Psychiatry Residency Training at St. Elizabeths Hospital and in leadership roles at the Washington-Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis. Dr. Joseph is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University and has served as an examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He also serves as an emeritus training and supervising analyst. Dr. Joseph currently lives in Washington, DC.
Our Host
Dr. Gail Saltz is best known for her work as a relationship, family, emotional wellbeing, and mental health contributor in the media where she is a go-to expert for commentary on the mental health aspects of current/breaking issues and news. She is a bestselling author of numerous books. She serves on the public information committee for the American Psychoanalytic Association and for The Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.
The Official APsA Podcast
‘Psychoanalysis & You‘ is the official podcast of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA) where each episode features engaging discussions on key psychoanalytic concepts, such as transference, defense mechanisms, and the role of the unconscious in everyday life. We explore the intricacies of psychoanalysis under the guidance of our host, Gail Saltz. Founded in 1911, the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA) is the oldest national psychoanalytic organization in the nation.
APsA is committed to being a professional membership organization for psychoanalysts, psychoanalytic psychotherapists, academics, researchers, students, and other interested people – all whose work is profoundly informed by psychoanalytic theory and values, and to supporting their education and continuing professional development.
What to Expect
Each episode features engaging discussions on key psychoanalytic concepts, such as transference, defense mechanisms, and the role of the unconscious in everyday life. Whether you’re a psychology student, a mental health professional, or simply curious about your own psyche, our content is designed to enlighten and inspire. Our episodes are published monthly and we welcome any feedback, suggestions, or guest invitations. Explore more episodes here.