From Personal Dignity to Mental Health: How patients have taught me that tolerance is bad and respect is good

Abstract

There are many misunderstandings regarding the concepts of tolerance and respect. This paper will explore its use in existential psychotherapy, proving that tolerance is insufficient and respect is necessarily required to esteem, honour and value our patients’ uniqueness and distinctiveness. Respecting people and their differences opens up possibilities for growth, awakening through simple, human decency. The above theoretical considerations are embedded in the analysis of four case studies.