Quote:
Originally Posted by struggling2
I read this from the Irvin Yalom thread and was wondering what exactly this means and how it works in therapy?
"Demonstrate your willingness to your client to enter into a deeply intimate relationship with them. “Therapists must show the way to patients by personal modeling.”
And I do not mean Im wondering if it means something sexual because thats not what im thinking. I lack non-sexual deeply intimate relationships in my life. I dont know how to allow it to happen. Im horrible at sharing that part of myself. I get uncomfortable and naturally keep things on the surface. Can T be a "stand in" for this kind of relationship to get you comfortable and teach you how to have that in "real life" I know I need help with it but I dont undersand....its kinda scary to let that happen. Im not sure what im getting at here. Just rambling.....
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Yes, one can have an emotionally intimate relationship with a therapist, and yes, it can help one have more intimate relationships in "real life." Not all Ts aim for deep relationships with their clients--it depends on their theoretical orientation. Yalom comes from the existential/humanist tradition, and my T is influenced strongly by this tradition also. We do have an emotionally intimate relationship and my T definitely "shows me the way by personal modeling." I think if you are looking for this in a therapy relationship, you have to be sure to choose a T who knows how to do it, or whose training and theoretical approach supports it. What kind of T do you have and do you think that kind of relationship is something he/she can provide?