Hermeneutics, Culture, and the Legacy of Shame: Response to Schou and Sucharov
In my response to Peter Schou and Max Sucharov, I use cues from their discussions to reflect on the interaction between my patient and I, and to articulate the hermeneutic perspective on which the case is based. Hermeneutics provides a framework for conceptualizing the way in which culture permeates every aspect of the analytic situation. Human experience is forged within culture, and it is through culture and language that we understand, interact, and make sense of the world around us. By focusing on the complexity of factors at work in the interaction between my patient and I, this article seeks to highlight the role of shame, trauma, and dialogue in the therapeutic interaction.