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Old May 10, 2016, 09:54 PM
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LonesomeTonight LonesomeTonight is offline
Always in This Twilight
 
Member Since: Feb 2015
Location: US
Posts: 22,031
Quote:
Originally Posted by BudFox View Post
I was thinking more about what exactly is the process whereby transference is turned into healing or growth. I'd like to see a therapist flowchart this.

1. Start.
2. Client professes love, longing, infatuation for therapist.
3. Therapist says "oh, that's transference".
4. Client loses their mind.
5. Client leaves therapy ready for a new life filled with joy.
6. End.

I'd like to know what are the steps between 4 and 5. What is the method, etc.
I think an important step there is for the T to be willing to talk about it and feel comfortable with it. To let the client feel it's a safe space to discuss those feelings and that they won't be terminated because of them. For the T to understand that transference can wax and wane and may take different forms (such as paternal vs. erotic) at different times. And then to help the client figure out what the transference is about, since by the nature of it being transference, it's not all about the T. Was it something missing in their childhood? Their current life? Both? It might not be so simple as "child was neglected, so now they want love from a parent figure." (I know mine is more complicated than that.)

I say this as someone who is dealing with some fairly strong transference for my marriage counselor (sometimes paternal, sometimes erotic) and a bit of maternal transference for my T. It's definitely complicated working on it with my MC (H knows about it), but he's open to working with me on it, both in joint sessions and a bit over e-mail or phone if needed (though we did have two individual sessions when I first disclosed it). There have been a few misunderstandings and one rupture, but we worked through that over the course of a few sessions, and I think the relationship improved as a result. But he's someone who has experienced it before and who seems to feel comfortable dealing with it and letting me express whatever emotions/thoughts I need to. (That being said, I still feel kinda nervous about his reaction when I e-mail about thoughts/feelings I'm having, as I did tonight after a rather intense session today.)

OK, just kinda rambling now, but hope maybe that helps somehow? And I'm certainly not at step 5 yet...
Thanks for this!
awkwardlyyours