Quote:
Originally Posted by Thalassophile
I would think it almost impossible for a T to remain completely objective at all times particularly with longterm clients. I mean they are human and can't just switch 'off' feelings'. Feelings are a natural part of being human and inevitably they will develop one way or another. I would think the important skills is in being able to identify their feelings, understand where that feeling is coming from (e.g past or present etc), process it and make sure it doesn't impact the therapy in that whatever they say or do continues to be with the clients best interests in mind. I don't see that a T would have to refer a client just because they felt 'love' or even a dislike for them unless they felt that they weren't skilled enough to handle their feelings without them negatively impacting the therapy. To me, that would highlight they need to do more of their own work and/or more training. That's obviously just my opinion though.
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There are no skills that help therapists not allow their feelings to affect therapy negatively, if the feelings cross a certain threshold of intensity. There is no training that offers such skills. And no amount of personal therapy would ensure that the therapist's feeling for the client will not affect his work. The notion that therapists can somehow acquire and possess magical powers to separate their feelings from their work is wishful thinking that many clients and therapists alike share. It's a fantasy based on misinformation being perpetuated by the profession that is one of the major reasons many people get re-traumatized in therapy.
As a licensed therapist, who has received all the required training and who has always sought consultations and personal assistance with my clinical cases, I can attest that there IS NO training that teaches therapists "skills" to overcome their feelings to such extend that they wouldn't affect their work and there IS NOTHING a personal therapy can do in that regard either beyond simply tracing where the feeling is coming from, which might be helpful for the therapist's own self-awareness of his/her limitations and detecting the right time to refer the client out.
Feelings cannot be "overcome" and "put aside" for the sake of anyone else's well-being. At least, not when they are strong. They will always affect one's actions, and when one is a therapist, he'd damn better be fully aware of that reality so he would only work within his natural limitations and not give his clients a false hope that he could do more than what he is naturally capable of.