Sound principles of clinical practice emphasize positive therapeutic relationships, good communication skills, and alleviation of pain and suffering. Psychiatrists use the healing power of both words and drugs. Unfortunately, many psychiatric drugs have failed to show a robust effectiveness in real-world practice and have only a marginal intra-class difference between psychotropics that often comes at the price of intolerable side effects. A significant part of the observed efficacy of many drug treatments is derived from non-specific treatment effects (ie, placebo response). Psychotherapy research suggests that all bona fide psychotherapies have equivalent efficacy, regardless of the claims of their specific technique touted by partisan practitioners. Jerome Frank asserted 50 years ago that there are “curative” features common to all psychotherapies, namely: a person in distress, an expert, a healing setting and a ritual, and explanation for the condition. Ego development psychology informs us that self-soothing is learned by an infant from a nurturing mother, and the healing power of this bond is later transferred to physicians as “culturally sanctioned parental figures.” Placebo-enhancing practitioners tend to be sensitive, caring, empathic listeners; encourage the patient to participate in decision-making; adapt their goals to patients’ needs and values; optimistic and impart hope; and are perceived by their patients as warm, friendly, reliable, and trustworthy. Good psychiatrists validate their patients’ suffering, are advocates and “cheerleaders,” and strive to restore patients’ self-efficacy, decrease demoralization, and enhance coping skills. Giving people the best effective treatment, along with positive expectations, realistic optimism, and hope, strengthens the healing relationship, maximizes the placebo effect, and increases patients’ chances of responding in the future.