The Impact of Impact - On Us
The following is a conversation between two intern psychologists:
Jan Abi Atmehe: Elise, what makes a conversation meaningful to you?
Elise Löwenthal: Hmm… I think when both people feel heard and understood—without anyone trying to change the other.
Jane: Yeah, exactly. I was thinking about that while reading Impact by Charl Vorster. Did you get a chance to read it yet?
Elise: Yes! Just finished it, actually. I’ve been dying to talk about it.
Jane: Same here. I love how it begins with a dialogue—kind of like how we’re writing this blog post.
Elise: You can really learn a lot just by observing how the characters interact and communicate with each other.
Jane: Yes! By seeing the conversation unfold, you actually feel the impact. It makes the therapeutic process so visible—like you’re right there in the room with them.
Elise: Exactly. And what’s interesting is that everything you notice—or even miss—in the conversations gets unpacked later. The themes, theories, and ideas are all explored in the following chapters.
Jane: Wow… writing this book review is starting to feel like such a big task.
Elise: I can see you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, Jane!
Jane: I am. There’s just so much to unpack in the book, and I’m not sure where to start.
Elise: Me neither… I want it to be thoughtful, not just rushed.
Jane: Yeah. It matters a lot to you that we approach this with care.
Elise: It does. And funny enough, this is the moment in the book where the characters would pause and reflect on a theme—like empathy.
Jane: Yes! Haha, we just showed each other empathy by reflecting on how we were feeling without judgment. It really made me feel understood.
Elise: They do that throughout the dialogue in the book. The characters explore many themes through their conversations—like how words shape dynamics, reflect power, and influence relationships…
Jane: …even in how we escalate or de-escalate conversations, balance closeness and distance, or navigate the tension between vulnerability and control.
Elise: Exactly. It’s interesting how those patterns shape not just the relationship, but how we see ourselves in it—and how empathy helps keep the connection strong.
Jane: Definitely. It’s like our supervisor says: a relationship is like a dance. If you change the way you move with your partner, you change the whole dance.
Elise: Right! And the beauty of it is, once we’re aware of these patterns, we can start to navigate them with more intention—both in our personal relationships and in therapy.
Jane: OK, I’m ready. Let’s get into it.
So… what is the book about?
Impact is a book by Charl Vorster that offers a fresh take on psychology—moving away from traditional psychoanalytic approaches and introducing the interactional perspective. Instead of focusing solely on your internal world, it invites you to observe how you interact in your relationships.
Rather than asking, “What’s going on inside my head?”, it nudges you to consider, “What can I observe playing out between me and others?” This doesn’t dismiss the internal world—it just encourages us to also notice what’s visible: the actual interactions unfolding in real time.
Interactional Therapy zooms in on relationship patterns—how people relate and communicate, and how dynamics like power, closeness, distance, empathy, or control show up, often in subtle ways. It steers us away from jumping straight into deep interpretations, and instead invites us to slow down, observe, and stay present with what’s happening between people.
It’s such a simple but powerful idea: the way we show up, how we respond, even the smallest shifts we make—all have an impact on how the relationship works. And that’s exactly what the book helps us notice and understand.
The book explores several key concepts in interactional psychology:
Interpersonal Variables
The way you show or receive empathy, how clearly you express yourself, or how much distance you maintain from others can all influence how issues manifest in relationships. (And the book dives into many more variables!)
Humanistic Psychology
You’ll encounter core principles like empathy, authenticity, and a compassionate, nonjudgmental presence—alongside Rogerian concepts like unconditional positive regard and congruence.
General Systems Theory
You’ll learn about the dynamic “dance” between individuals—how your actions affect others, and theirs affect you. Change the partner, and the rhythm shifts. Every interaction is part of a wider system.
Communication
The meaning of a message can shift dramatically depending on the context, tone, body language, or the listener’s interpretation.
This short book—only 129 pages long—is packed with valuable insights. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in interactional therapy, and it might just change the way you see your relationships.
Jane Abi Atmeh & Elise Löwenthal
Psychologists at Satori are trained in interactional therapy.
If you’d like to start sessions with one of them, you can reach out to us here:
