Capacity Quote by Harry Stack Sullivan
“The psychiatric interviewer is supposed to be doing three things: considering what the patient could mean by what he says; considering how he himself can best phrase what he wishes to communicate to the patient; and, at the same time, observing the general pattern of the events being communicated. In addition to that, to make notes which will be of more than evocative value, or come anywhere near being a verbatim record of what is said, in my opinion is beyond the capacity of most human beings.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Clinical Psychiatry, Harry Stack Sullivan, 1934
The interviewer must interpret patient meaning, choose clear language, and notice overall communication patterns, while noting beyond verbatim.
In simple terms: Interviewers interpret, clarify, and observe, not transcribe.
Key Takeaway
Focus on understanding, not exact wording.
Themes
communication
interpretation
clinical practice
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
clinical
educational
When to use this quote
- clinical sessions
- patient interviews
- case note taking
Key Concepts
psychiatry
therapeutic listening
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance empathy with accurate documentation?
- What strategies improve note‑taking without losing nuance?
A Different Perspective
Human memory limits detailed transcription.
![“[O]ne of the greatest difficulties encountered in bringing about favorable change is this almost inescapable illusion that there is a perduring, unique, simple existent self, [which is] in some strange fashion, the patient's, or the subject person's, private property.” quote by Harry Stack Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c90/harry-stack-sullivan-27472_adversity_o-ne-of-the-greatest-difficulties-encoun_2365397.jpg)
