"Peter's thoughtful model will hopefully enable future practitioners of medicine to argue against any retrograde move towards paternalism and authoritarianism."- Jonathan Silverman, author of Skills for Communicating with Patients, from the Foreword. This inspirational guide provides an innovative framework for understanding the consultation. It is concise, easy-to-read and highly accessible, presenting a simple and easily remembered non-linear diagram which facilitates the understanding of this richly complex process.Inspired by the work of Balint, it beautifully reflects the narrative of the