Evocativeness, as used here, refers to a communication quality in the therapeutic process which tends to encourage in the receiver a lifelike, affectively experienced, and synthesized response, contributing to a more effective re-creation of forgotten and latent aspects of himself and a richer experience of the present. It is suggested as a relevant, though often overlooked, variable in the therapeutic process, with important consequences for research, training, and clinical effectiveness. With respect to evocativeness, the reciprocal processes between therapist and patient, artist and audience can be viewed as having much in common.