Do you have to like your patients?

And do they have to like you?

Do you have to like each other?

What is the work about really?

Do you have to like your accountant? Your dentist? Your surgeon? What about your car repair? Your electrician?

It helps if you like these people, but is it necessary? Can the work proceed without this mutual affection?

What if you can study your mutual dislike and talk about it?

What do they dislike about you and why?

What do you dislike about them?

This is the opportunity to explore something that usually can’t even be thought about, let alone vocalized.

It takes a lot of courage to go through this with another person.

When you see this in someone else it’s hard not to respect it.

It may not be necessary to like your patients, or for them to like you, if there is mutual respect.