The Psychiatrist as a Psychotherapist: The Problem of Identity

The article deals with the issue of identity as central to successfully integrating psychotherapy into the practice of general psychiatry. The authors’ opinion is mainly based on their personal experience in Israel as psychiatrists, psychotherapists—supervisors at the present and residents in the past—as well as on the relevant literature. They feel it is crucial to address the issue of identity early in the residents’ psychiatric training to start them on the path of a rewarding career in psychotherapy.