Recent literature which proposes a more active therapeutic stance with Afro-American clients is consistent with general trends in clinical theory. Therapists are beginning to appreciate the usefulness of the concept of the "self." Rychlak (1979) notes that a humanistic approach in psychology emphasizes the importance of an introspective point of view in understanding human behavior. It is impossible to account for human behavior without taking the actor's perspective into account. In a similar vein, Kohut (1977) stresses the importance of the empathy of parents for a child's needs, and of the therapist in the therapeutic situation. A theoretical and technical position that emphasizes empathic sensitivity to the client's experience is particularly useful in considering the experience of Afro-Americans. Minority clients' early disenchantment in therapy may reflect the failure of therapists to appreciate and respond empathically to the specific introspective point of view that the black client brings to therapy. (MCF)