Quote:
Originally Posted by AuroraBorealis75
I think transference can happen with someone other than a therapist, especially if it's someone in a position of authority. I had a really strong transference to a priest, and I realize I totally idolized him. It lasted for about 7 years, and then I found out he left his wife and I was so mad at him. That was the end of the transference. I trusted him, and we were quite close, and when he found out that I knew, he told me he wasn't ever going to tell me he had left his wife (she went to a different church, but I also did get to know her and like her a lot). She was the one who told me he had left her.
|
I agree that it can happen with someone other than a T. I don't really talk about this much, but I'm pretty sure that's what I had for my high school journalism teacher, who was considerably older. I was the editor of the school paper, and we worked pretty closely together. He was married (no kids). I felt really attached to him (and he seemed a bit attached to me, though nothing physical happened), which made graduation and going off to college difficult. I kept in touch with him briefly after that, but it ended really badly
. I called him to let him know I was OK after that, and he told me to never contact him again...
I think that experience, which is like 20 years ago now, is largely what's behind my difficulty accepting that my marriage counselor (who I have some paternal and erotic transference for) really isn't going anywhere, no matter what I say or do. And probably has had an effect on other relationships I've had with authority figures, too. (Of course there's some parent issues in there as well...)
But to get back to the original question, a pastor is even closer to the role of a T than a teacher, so I think there can definitely be transference...