The relationships between faculty and students in graduate school have been found to have a significant effect on most aspects of the doctoral experience. Yet we know little about the emotional landscape of these relationships and what makes them work. This study, which conducted qualitative interviews in one academic department, looks inside faculty-doctoral student relationships by examining the emotional competencies that both faculty and students display within them. Emotional competencies displayed by both students and faculty were influenced by the program structure and culture of the department, and facilitated positive student and faculty outcomes. (Contains 10 tables.)