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TherapistTherapistMagazine of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
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COUNTERTRANSFERENCEListening to Ourselves in Order to Hear Others Using Countertransference in Our Work with Clients (page 7)
Does Our Codependency Help or Harm Our Clients? (page 13)
The Threat of Therapy Countertransference and Resistance (page 19)
TherapistTherapistthe
Volume 25, Issue 1 | January/February 2013
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07Listening to Ourselves in Order to Hear Others:Using Countertransference in Our Work with Clients
Countertransferenceoriginallyreferredtothepsychoanalyst’stransferencetoapatient,andwasthoughttoimpairthetherapist'sabilities.However,thethinkingaboutcountertransferencephenomenahasdevelopedtremendouslyoverthepast100yearstomeansomethingradicallydifferent,andfarmoreclinicallyusefulthantheoriginalconcept.
13Does Our Codependency Help or Harm Our Clients?
GiventheprevalenceofcodependencyinAmerica,it’sadisorderthatshouldn’tbeoverlookedinclients,irrespectiveoftheirdiagnosisorpresentingproblem.Whetheratherapist'scodependencyhelpsorharmsthetherapydependsonself-awareness.Thisarticlehighlightshowcodependencyaffectstreatment.
19The Threat of Therapy: Countertransference and Resistance
Countertransference,themannerinwhichthetherapist’sownunconsciousentersintothetherapeuticrelationship,entailsthetherapist’sresistanceeithertochangeinthepatient,ormoreparticularly,resistancetochangethatdoesnotoccuronthetherapist’sownterms.Itprovidesacomfortingmirrorinwhichtherapistsseetheirownimagereflectedbackinthepatient,ratherthanbeingawindowthroughwhichtheycanviewthepatientasauniqueandseparateindividual.
35Personal and Professional Alchemy: Creating Your Own Clinical Style
MarkyourcalendarstoattendCAMFT’s49thAnnualConferenceattheSheratonGrandSacramento,May16-19,2013.Keynotespeakers:BuckRunyan,JohnJolliffe,BruceEcker,EstherPerel,andTerryReal.EarlydiscountofferedthroughMarch31,2013.
65The Living History of the MFT License
AntoniaBouyer,JillEpstein,andEileenSchusterhadthegreatpleasuretochatwiththreeCAMFTmemberswhoareamongstthefirstpeopletohavereceivedtheMFCClicense:Dr.IsabelleFox,#596(licensedApril10,1964),Dr.MyronHowland,#226(licensedFebruary21,1964)andMarciaLasswell,#210(licensedFebruary21,1964).
71The BBS’ “Garden of Forking Paths”
With“TheGardenofForkingPaths,”JorgeLuisBorgespennedoneofthegreatestshort-storiesinallofworldliterature,and,althoughhecertainlywasnotintendingtodoso,hisconceptionoftimeandhisemphasisontheconsequencesofthechoiceswemakegivesusaframeworkfortheoutcomesofpossibleinteractionswiththeBoardofBehavioralSciences,withthreepossibilitiesbeingparticularlyimportantandfairlyrecurrent.
77Reasonable Accommodations and Emotional Support Animals
Lettersfromhealthcareandmentalhealthprovidersaregenerallyrequestedtoshowthatananimalprovidesadisability-relatedbenefittoanindividual.Therefore,itisbecomingmorecommonforclientstoasktheirtherapiststoprovidesuchdocumentation.Thisarticlewillprovideabriefsummaryoftherelevantlawsanddiscussionofsomelegalandethicalissuesfortherapiststoconsiderwhenrespondingtothistypeofrequest.
02 President’s Message
04 CAMFT Calendar
07 Professional Exchange
25 Supervisors’ Corner
29 Self-Study CE Questions
31 The Business of Practice
34 What’s New at CAMFT.org?
54 BBS Board Update
60 Legislative Update
62 Law and Ethics Self-Study
69 Members in the Media
83 Book Reviews
85 In Memory
87 Cracking Up!
88 Chapter Directory
91 Disciplinary Actions
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Like the topic and want CEs? Read "What
Shall We Do With the Wounded Healer? The Supervisor's Dilemna"
by Sue Wheeler, Psychodynamic Practice,
August 2007, Volume 13, Issue 3, pages 245-256, through CAMFT’s
self-study program with EBSCO. Log on to
www.camft.org/EBSCO to get started!
The articles printed under the heading “Professional Exchange” represent the
views and opinions of the writers and do not necessarily
reflect the attitudes or opinions of the California
Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.
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Listening to Ourselves in Order to Hear OthersUsing Countertransference in Our Work with ClientsBob Gallo, LCSW, BCD
IntroductionCountertransferenceoriginallyreferredtothepsychoanalyst’stransferencetoapatient,andwasthoughttoimpairthetherapist'sabilities.However,thethinkingaboutcountertransferencephenomenahasdevelopedtremendouslyoverthepast100yearstomeansomethingradicallydifferent,andfarmoreclinicallyusefulthantheoriginalconcept.
Althoughmanystillconsidercountertransferencetorefertoatherapist’s“personal”reactions,manyothersthinkofcountertransferenceasaspectsofthetherapist’ssubjectiveexperiencewhichprovidesimportantinformationabouttheclient.Countertransferencedynamicsarepresentinallpsychotherapeuticworkregardlessofthesetting,clientpopulation,treatmentmodality,ortherapeuticapproach.Attendingtothemcanbeofgreatbenefittotheclientandthetherapeuticprocess.
The analyst’s psyche is similar to a musical instrument, upon which the patient plays. (Dieckmann, 1974, p.171)
…A good half of every treatment that probes at all deeply consists in the doctor’s examining himself. (C.G. Jung as quoted in Stevens, 1994, p.110)
In order to find the patient, we must look for him within ourselves. (Bollas, 1987, p.202)
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My InterestIbecameinterestedincountertransferencephenomenaandcountertransferencetheoryaboutsixteenyearsagoduetothefollowingexperience:
Asocialworkerbroughtanadolescenttoseemebecausehemadeacommentaboutwishinghewasdead.WefirstmetlateintheafternoononaFriday.Hewasangryaboutneedingtomeetwithme,anddidnotwanttotalk.AsIkepttrying(unsuccessfully)toengagehiminconversation,Ibecameawareoffeelingfrustratedwithhim.Soonafterwards,Istartedhavingafantasyofsaying,“Youdon’twanttotalkwithme?That’sfine,seewhatyouthinkofthis!”,thenhittinghimwithabelt,lockinghiminmyoffice,turningoffthelights,andleavingfortheweekend.Iwassurprisedandverydisturbedbymyreaction.Ihadneverhadsuchsadisticthoughtsbefore,anddidn’tunderstandwheretheywerecomingfrom.
OnMondaymorning,thesocialworkercalledtoseehowtheappointmentwent.Duringourconversation,shegavemesomebackgroundinformationabouttheclient,whichincludedahorrifichistoryofbeingbeatenregularlybyvariousmeninthefamilyhomewhooftenlockedhiminadarklaundryroomfordaysatatime.
AlthoughIwasstillupsetaboutmyexperience,Iwasalsointriguedbythestrikingsimilaritiesbetweenmyfantasyandwhathappenedinhislife.So,Icontactedasocialworker/Jungiananalystwhoseprimaryareaofclinicalinterestwascountertransference,andbeganconsultingwithher.
Countertransference PerspectivesIwillhighlighttwoperspectivesoncountertransferenceandmentionanintermediatestagebetweentheminordertoprovidesomecontextforconsideringhowoursubjectiveexperiencescanbeusefulinourtherapeuticworkwithclients.
Classical Perspective:TheClassicalperspectivedevelopeddirectlyfromFreudiantheory.Inthisparadigm,theanalystattemptedtobeaperfectlydetached,objective,scientificobserverandinterpreterofthepatient’sintra-psychicdynamics. Iftheanalysthademotionalreactions,theywerethoughttoresultfromunresolvedchildhoodconflictswhichweredisplacedontothepatient.Theseemotionalreactionswerethoughtofasimpedimentstotherapythatneededtobeeliminatedbecausetheypreventedtheanalystfrombeinga“scientist-observer”andledtodistortionsinunderstanding,anderrorsintherapeuticintervention.
Intermediate Stage:Thisstagecameaboutasclinicians(manyofwhomwereworkingwithchildrenandpsychoticadults)begantospeakopenlyabouthavingthoughtsandfeelingsintheirsessionsthattheybelievedweresomehowrelatedtotheclient’sexperience.Theircuriosityledthemtobegindevelopingtheoriesaboutcountertransferencephenomenawhichrevolvedaroundtheconceptofprojectiveidentification.
Totalist Perspective:ClinicianswhoholdaTotalisticperspectiveaboutcountertransferencecomefromavarietyoftheoreticalorientationsincluding:Object-relations,Relational,Attachment,Intersubjective,andJungian.Thisperspectiveemphasizesthatourexperienceswhiledoingtherapyareoftenrelatedtotheclient’sexperience.Italsoprovidesguidanceabouthowtomaketherapeuticuseofcountertransference.
• Ratherthanstrivingtobedetachedandobjective,Totalistsconsiderthemselvestobeparticipant/observersinthetherapeuticprocess,believingthattheclientandtherapistconstantlyaffecteachother’sstateofbeing.
• Totalistsbelievethatclientsuseunconsciousprocessestoevokecertainfeelingsintheirtherapists,and/orinfluencetheirtherapiststoco-createspecific(usuallyunpleasant)relationaleventswiththeminhopesthattheoutcomewillbemorepositivethanithadbeeninthepast.
• Fromthisperspective,atherapist’sexperienceswhileworkingwithaclientarethoughttoresultfromacombinationofpersonhoodand theeffectofbeingreached/impactedbytheclient.
• TheTotalistsconsidercountertransferencetobeallofoursubjectiveexperiencesin relationtoaparticularclient.Thisincludeswhathappensinourmind,ourself-states,emotionalstate,andphysicalexperience.(Iwillelaboratemoreaboutthisinalatersection.)
• Totalistsareattentivetotheirsubjectiveexperiencesandattempttomaketherapeuticuseofthem.
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Although many still consider countertransference to refer to a therapist’s “personal” reactions, many others think of countertransference as aspects of the therapist’s subjective experience which provides important information about the client. Countertransference dynamics are present in all psychotherapeutic work regardless of the setting, client population, treatment modality, or therapeutic approach. Attending to them can be of great benefit to the client and the therapeutic process.
Presents
DONNELL STERN, Ph.D.
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Why Work With Countertransference?• Attendingtoourcountertransference
experiencescanhelpus“hear”andunderstandourclients’unconsciouscommunications.ThepsychoanalystTheodorReikreferredtothisas“listeningwiththethirdear.”Ifwedon’tdothis,weneglectavitalsourceofinformation;alotlikeworkingwithoutoneofoursenses.
• Cultivatinganongoingpracticeofinquiryandreflectionaboutourcountertransferencecanenhanceanddeepentheworkwedo,andprotectthetherapeuticprocessbyreducingouractingoutoffeelings.
• Wecanusecountertransferenceexperiencesinwaysthatarebeneficialtoourclients.
Another Countertransference ExampleIworkedwithamanwhonearlyalwayslookedoutthewindowwhenhespoke.Inourthirdsession,Ibecameawareoffeelingboredanddisengaged,andwonderedifIwouldbeabletoclosemyeyes,andperhapsevensleepforawhile,withouthimnoticing.Ialsohadamentalimageoflongtuftsofgreyhairgrowingoutofmyears.Irespondedtoallofthisbysimplyaskingabouthisrelationships.Hetoldmehehadbeenavoidingcontactwithpeoplebecausehefeltsobadlyabouthimself,hefeltdifferentfromeveryoneelse,andhadbeenunspeakablypreoccupiedwithgettingold.Ithinkthatmyboredom,disengagement,andfantasyaboutgoingtosleepweresimilartohisavoidanceandsenseofalienation.TheimageIhadofhairgrowingoutofmyearswasconsistentwithhispreoccupationaboutaging.
Projective Identification & EnactmentsProjectiveidentificationandenactmentsarethetwomostimportantconceptsinTotalisticthinkingaboutcountertransference.Projectiveidentificationmeansdifferentthingsdependinguponone’sspecifictheoreticalorientation.Forourpurposes,Iwillrefertoitasanunconsciousaffectiveprocessthathelpstheclientevokespecificfeelingsinthetherapistinorderto:1)communicateaboutapainful,traumatic,orpre-verbalexperiences,or2)communicateaboutaninternalobjectworld(mentalmodelsaboutpeoplebasedonone’spastexperience).
Withenactments,aclientunconsciouslydoesthingsandactsinwaysthatareaimedat:1)evokingparticularfeelingsinthetherapist,2)communicatingissuesaboutaninternalobjectworld,or3)gettingthetherapisttorelatetotheclientinspecificallydetermined(usuallyunpleasant)waysinhopesthattheoutcomewillbemorepositivethanithadbeeninthepast.
Eventhoughitcanbedifficulttoclearlyseparatethesetwodynamicsduringthecourseofourwork,itismostusefultothinkofthemasaclient’sattemptstobeunderstood,heal,andgrow.Theeffectsofprojectiveidentificationandenactmentscanrangefromsubtleandfleeting,tointense,distressing,anddisorienting.Itishelpfultoconsiderourfullrangeofthoughts,feelings,physicalexperiences,andactionsaspotentiallyimportantsourcesofinformationabouttheclient,eveniftheyseemirrelevant,unprofessional,orunacceptable.Wecanthinkaboutourreactions/experiencesaspossiblymeaningthatwehave“heard,”orbeenimpactedby,theclient’sunconsciouscommunication.
Types of Evoked CountertransferencesThecountertransferenceexperiencesthatareevokedthroughprojectiveidentificationandenactmentstendtofallintoafewmaincategoriesor“positions.”I’llhighlightthreeofthem,andmentionanotheronethatisnotrelatedtotheseunconsciousmechanisms.Thepositionsweexperiencewithaclientmayberelativelyconsistent,ortheycanchangerapidly.
1.Sometimesweareattunedtotheclient’sfeltexperience.Thishappenswhenwefeelaccurateempathyfortheclient,orhaveanexperienceintheroomthatmatchesorparallelstheclient’sexperience.Forexample,wemightbecomeawareoffeelinganxiousandoverwhelmed,anddoubtourabilitieswhenlisteningtoaclienttalkaboutthesituation.Thismaybethesamethingtheclientfeelsandcommunicatesthroughprojectiveidentificationand/orenactment.ThevignetteinwhichIdescribedfeelingdisengagedandenvisionedhairgrowingoutofmyearsisanotherexampleofthiskindofcountertransference.
2.Sometimesweareattunedtotheclient’sdenied,repressed,ordisavowedexperience.Thiskindofcountertransferencecancreatea
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senseofdisparitybetweenusandtheclient.Anexamplemayincludefeelingangrywhilelisteningtoaclienttalkinacasual,matter-of-factwayabouthavingbeenabused.
Thesefirsttwopositions,inwhichweareattunedtotheclient’sexperience,arereferredtoas“concordant”countertransferences.Thefollowingoneisreferredtoasa
“complementary”countertransference.
3.Wemayhaveexperiencesthataresimilarto,orparallelwith,someonewhohascausedtheclientharm.ThefirstvignetteIgaveillustratesthistypeofcountertransference.
4.Theclientinfluencesustoeither:1) feelandresponddifferentlyfrompeoplethathavecausedtheclientharm,2)provideneededempathicresponsesthattheclienthasneverreceived,or3)provideresponsesthatcorrespondstopositiveearlyexperiences.Irefertothisasthe“NeededObject”position.
Capacities That Help One “Look” For Evoked CountertransferenceBeforebeginningtolookforevokedcountertransferenceexperiences,onemustfirstbeverypresentforthetaskathand.Anypreoccupationsorupsetfromourpersonallives,professionallives,orpreviousappointmentswilloccludeourabilitytonoticethecountertransference,orcauseustoincorrectlyattributeourownexperiencestosomethinghappeningbetweenusandtheclient.
Helpful Capacities: Workingwithevokedcountertransferencereactionscanbeverychallenging.Itrequirescenteredness,self-awareness,curiosity,andreflectivecapabilities.Onemuststrivetoacceptalloftheexperiences/reactions,whilecontainingthefeelings,affects,andimpulses.ItisalsonecessarytohavewhatWilfredBionreferredtoas“negativecapability,”anabilitytotolerateuncertaintyandnotknowing.
Here are some ways to “look” for evoked countertransference reactions:
• Beawareofwhatyoufeelwhilemeetingwiththeclient.Forexample,doyoufeelbored,aloof,unmoved,impatient,overwhelmed,sad,angry,orashamed?
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• Noticeanyattitudes,“positive”or“negative,”thatyouexperience.Forexample,doyoufeeljudgmental,condescending,dismissing,orthinkoftheclientasavictim?
• Noticeanyphysicalsensationsyouexperience.
• Beawareofwhatgoesoninyourmind.Forexample,doyouhaveanyday-dreams,fantasies,orrepetitivethoughts?
• Noticehowyoufeelaboutyourselfwhenyouarewiththeclient.Forexample,doyoufeelself-critical,inadequate,orconfident?
• Noticewhatyoudo,andhowyouareinteracting.Forexample,didyourunover-time,wereyou“chatty,”wasitdifficultforyoutounderstandorempathize,didyouself-disclose,giveadvice,orlookattheclock?
• Recognizeanyimpulsesordesiresthatarisewithinyou.Forexample,doyouwanttoendthemeetingearly,wanttoblurtsomethingout,orwanttogotosleep?
Irefertotheinformationgatheredfromthesepracticesassourcesof“un-mined”treasure,whichshouldbeexaminedtoidentifyanyunderlyingcountertransferencedynamics.Asstatedpreviously,itisusefultoconsiderthatsomeofourexperiencesariseasaresultofhaving“heard,”orbeenimpactedby,theclient’sunconsciouscommunication.Itcanalsobehelpfultowonderifwemightbeexperiencingaconcordantorcomplementarycountertransference.Reactions/behaviorsthatareatypicalforyou,ordonotseemtohaveanidentifiableorigin,areoftenrichsourcesofevokedcountertransference.Ifweexperiencethingsthatareintense,distressing,ordisorienting,wemaybeinclinedtodisengage,becomeself-involved,self-recriminating,oract-out.However,itisvitaltobeawareofourexperiences,containthem,andremainengagedinthetherapeutictask.
What Can Be “Done” With Evoked Countertransference? Thereareseveralthingstherapists“do”withevokedcountertransference.Iwillmentionthreethatanytherapistcanimmediatelyputintopractice.Duetothebrevityofthisarticle,Iwillnotillustratetheinterpretiveor
disclosingtypesofinterventions.Furthermore,onemustbewell-informedaboutthesubjectandreceiveguidancefromanexperiencedsupervisor/colleaguebeforeattemptingtomakemoreexplicituseofevokedcountertransference.
Notice and Contain: Wecansimplybeawareofourcountertransferenceexperiences,andcontainthem.Aseasyasthismaysound,itcanbeverychallenging.Althoughitmaynotsoundhelpful,theimpactcanbeprofound.Oneofmyteachersusedtosay,“Don’tjustdosomething,sitthere!”
Projectiveidentificationandenactmentsallowustoexperiencewhattheclientexperiences(viatheconcordantcountertransference).Whenthishappens,theclientcanfeelknownandunderstood,whichistremendouslyhealing.Whenwetoleratethedifficultemotionsthathavebeenevokedinus,weofferanexampleofstrength,andprovidehope.Bothofthesethingscanbesustainingfortheclient.Bysharingtheexperience,theclient'sburdenislightenedasweworktogethertoholdandmasterit.
Whenthetherapistcontainsacomplementarycountertransferenceacorrectiverelationalexperienceisprovidedfortheclient.Thiscanhelpmodifytheclient’sinternalizedimagesofself,others,andrelationships.
Hereisanexample:Imetwithamanwhoprettymuchtalkednon-stopeachmeeting.HebeganwhenIgreetedhiminthewaitingroom,andcontinueduntilhewashalfwaydownthehallafterleavingmyoffice.EachtimeIinhaledpriortosayingsomething,hestartedspeakinglouderandfaster.Then,Istoppedtakingthein-breathsbecauseIrealizeditcuedhimtothefactthatIwasabouttotalk.However,hestillspokeovermeeachtimeIbegantosayanything.Thiswentonforseveralsessions,andIstartedfeelingveryirritatedbywhathewasdoing.
Oneday,hementionedthatthemeetingswereveryhelpfultohim.ThissurprisedmebecauseIhadn’treallysaid,ordoneanything.HesaiditmeantalotthatIdidn’tyellathimto“shutup,”orbecomeverballyabusive.Ithenlearnedthathewassubjectedsinceearlychildhoodtoongoingsilencingandverbalabusefromhis
father.HewasterrifiedthatIwouldtreathimsimilarly.Thetruthwas,thereweretimesthatIhadtheimpulsetoyellathimto“shutup,”butIdidn’t.Ijustkeptlistening,beingkind,andcontainedmyfeelings.
Inquire: Wecanusecountertransferenceasacuetoinitiateinquiry.Whenrealizingthatwemaybehavinganevokedcountertransferencereaction,wecansimplyaskwhattheclientisexperiencing.Oftentimes,theclientwillrevealaffects,experiences,orconcernsthatarepresent.Forexample,hadIaskedthemanfromthepreviousvignettewhathewasexperiencinginthesessionwithme(withoutdisclosinganythingaboutmyirritation),hemighthavegivenvoicetohisworry,fear,oranxiety.
Wecanalsouseourcountertransferencereactionsasaguideforourinquiry.Forexample,Iaskedtheman(withwhomIwashavingtheearhairfantasy)abouthisrelationshipsbecauseIrelatedtohislackofconnectiontoothers.
Get Comfortable With Your Experience: Manyclinician/theoreticiansbelievethatthetherapistandclient’spsychesbecomedeeplyintertwinedduringthetherapeuticprocess.Theyassertthatprojectiveidentificationallowstheclienttotemporarilygetridofoverwhelmingorpainfulaffects(andtheassociatedselfandobjectrepresentations)byevokingtheminthetherapist.Bycontainingthecountertransference,thetherapist’spsyche“metabolizes”theaffects(andrelatedrepresentations)andgivesthemback(viaprojectiveidentification)totheclientinamoretolerableform.
Sometimes,wemaybecomeunsettledordisturbedbytheexperiencesevokedinuswithaparticularclient.Duringthesetimes,itcanbebeneficialtoattempttoreduceourreactivitytowhathasarisen,allowtheexperiencetobe,andbecomecalmandgroundedagain.Besideshelpingyourself,doingthesethingscanalsoinvite/facilitatechangetohappenintheclient.
Returningbacktothefirstvignette,IwasveryupsetbythesadisticfantasyIhadwiththeteenageclient.Iwasfrightenedbytheintensityofmyreaction.IworriedthatIhadjustfoundapreviouslyunknownwell-springof
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crueltywithinmyself.Ijudgedmyselfharshly,andwonderedifIshouldrefertheclienttosomeoneelse.
TheconsultationIreceivedhelpedquietmyreactionstomyexperience,andallowedmetobecomecuriousaboutit.Thisbroughtmeasenseofcalmandspaciousness.Asthisprocesshappenedforme,Inoticedthattheclientbecamelessself-recriminating,lesssuspiciousofothers,morecomfortablewithhisstrongfeelings,andmorepositiveinhisoutlook.
Summary Manycontemporarycountertransferencetheoristsbelievethatclientsuseunconsciousprocessestoevokespecificfeelingsintheirtherapists,and/orinfluencetheirtherapiststoco-createspecificrelationaleventswiththeminordertobeunderstood,heal,andgrow.Thesetheoristsclaimthatmanyofoursubjectiveexperiencesariseasaresultofhaving“heard,”orbeenimpactedbytheclients’communication.Someoftheseexperiencesmaybesubtleandfleeting,whileotherscanbeintense,disorienting,anddistressing.
FromtheTotalisticperspective,countertransferenceisdefinedasallofoursubjectiveexperiencesin relationtoaparticularclient.Becauseofthis,weareencouragedtoconsiderourfullrangeofthoughts,feelings,physicalexperiences,andactionsaspotentiallyimportantsourcesofinformationabouttheclient,eveniftheyseemirrelevant,unprofessional,orunacceptable.However,wemustbeskilledatidentifyingthe
personalandprofessionalpre-occupationsandupsetsthatwebringtoourwork,whicharenotrelatedtotheclient.
Workingwithevokedcountertransferencereactionscanhelpus“hear”andunderstandourclients’unconsciouscommunication,enhanceanddeepentheworkwedo,protectthetherapeuticprocess,andassistinthedevelopmentoftherapeuticinterventions.
Containmentisacrucialcapacityforworkingwithevokedcountertransference.Itpreventsthetherapistfromacting-outfeelingsthatwouldbedetrimentaltotheclient,orthetherapeuticprocess.AlthoughImostlygaveexamplesofwhatareoftenreferredtoas
“negative”countertransferences,containmentisofutmostimportancewith“positive”and
“romantic/erotic”countertransferencesaswell.
Evokedcountertransferencesoccurinallpsychotherapies.Workingpurposefullywithcountertransferenceisachallengingandfascinatingendeavor.Itoffersendlessopportunitiesforlearningandpersonal/professionalgrowth.Italsoprovidesuswiththeprofoundrealizationthatbylisteningtoourselves,wecanoftenhearothers.
Bob Gallo, LCSW, BCD graduated from Smith College School for Social Work in 1993, and completed the Contemplative Clinical Practice program at Smith in 2011.
He works with individuals, couples, and families in English and Spanish at his private practice in Watsonville, California. He also
supervises and consults to therapists, social service providers, and early childhood educators. You can contact Bob for consultations related to countertransference, and clinical practice in general at [email protected]
References
Bollas, C. (1987). The shadow of the object: Psychoanalysis of the Unthought Known. New York: Columbia University Press.
Dieckmann, H. (1974). The Constellation of the Countertransference in Relation to the Presentation of Archetypal Dreams: Research Methods and Results, in Adler, G. (ed.) Success and Failure in Analysis. New York: Putnam.
Grayer, E. & and Saxe, P. (1986). A Model for the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Use of Countertransference. Clinical Social Work Journal. 14 (4), 295-309.
Jung. C.G. as quoted in: Stevens, A. (1994). Jung. Oxford.
Reich, Teodor. (1949). Listening with the Third Ear. New York: Farrar and Strauss.
Symington, J & N (1996). The Clinical Thinking of Wilfred Bion. New York: Routledge.
“ “Evoked countertransferences occur in all psychotherapies. Working purposefully with countertransference is a challenging and fascinating endeavor. It offers endless opportunities for learning and personal/professional growth. It also provides us with the profound realization that by listening to ourselves, we can often hear others.
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