Impinged-upon adults come into their initial psychotherapy hour with concerns about their failure to manage life. At this point, patients are usually not yet able to speak directly about their problems. The therapist must attend not only to the words but to tone of voice, emphasis, and nonverbal communication. It becomes the therapist’s job to understand and then to translate hidden messages. Patients usually experience tremendous relief when the therapist is able to do so, and there is no more effective way to build a solid working alliance.