The diagnostic interview remains at the heart of clinical psychiatric practice. It consist of a dialogue between two subjects with the common goal of clarifying symptoms and diagnosis. It is precisely within such dialogic setting that the manifold diversity of psychopathological phenomena emerges, often beyond the descriptive boundaries of diagnostic glossaries. Indeed, the interview is a vital prerequisite to treatment and invariably sets the tone for the therapeutic alliance. The course, which capitalizes on the personal experience as a service user of one of the co-directors, is built upon a combination of live patient interview, discussions and short lectures. It will address foundational aspects of the psychiatric interview, focusing on strategic-technical aspects and relational-empathic skills; and also provide concrete advices, tips and tricks from experienced interviewers and patients. Key learning points will be: 1. how to establish an atmosphere of interpersonal trust and to initiate the diagnostic process, 2. how to ask “the best questions”, 3. how to explore the meaning behind common language phrases like “I feel depressed” or “I have had a nervous breakdown”, 4. how to discriminate between normal”, morbid and psychotic; and between subjective experience, notions and expressed behavior. 5. how to choose the best diagnostic tools and instruments.