Some years ago I formulated the view that it was not the special professional knowledge of the therapist, nor his intellectual conception of therapy (his ‘school of thought’), nor his techniques, which determined his effectiveness. I hypothesized that what was important was the extent to which he possessed certain personal attitudes in the relationship. I endeavored to define three of these which I regarded as basic—the realness, genuineness or congruence of the therapist; the degree of empathic…