a whole, and has even been shown to improve treatment compliance. Another form of communication beneficial to the patient-provider relationship is self-disclosure by the physician in particular. Historically, medical teaching institutions have discouraged physicians from disclosing personal or emotional information to patients, as neutrality and professionalism were prioritized. However, self-disclosure by physicians has been shown to increase rapport, the patient's trust, their intention to disclose information, and the patient's desire to continue with the physician. These effects were shown to be associated with empathy, which is another important dimension which is often under-emphasized in physician training. A physician's response to emotional expression by their patient can also determine the quality of the relationship, and influence how comfortable patients are in discussing sensitive issues, feelings, or information that may be critical for their diagnosis or care. More passive, neutral response styles which allow for patients to elaborate on their feelings have been shown to be more beneficial for patients, and make them feel more comfortable. Physician avoidance or dismissal of a patient's emotional expression may discourage the patient from opening up, and may be harmful to their relationship with their provider. Physician superiority Historically, in the paternalistic model, a physician tended to be viewed as dominant or superior to the patient due to the inherent power dynamic of physician's control over the patient's health, treatment course, and access to knowledge about their condition. In this model, physicians tended to convey only the information necessary to convince the patient of their proposed treatment course. The physician–patient relationship is also complicated by the patient's suffering (patient derives from the Latin patior, "suffer") and limited ability to relieve it without the physician's intervention, potentially resulting in a state of desperation and dependency on the physician. A physician should be aware of these disparities in order to establish a comfortable, trust-based environment and optimize communication with the patient. Additionally, it may be beneficial for the doctor–patient relationship to create a practice of shared care with increased emphasis on patient empowerment in taking a greater degree of responsibility for their care. Patients who seek a doctor's help typically do not know or understand the medical science behind their condition, which is why they go to a doctor in the first place. A patient with no medical or scientific background may not be able to understand what is going on with their body without their doctor explaining