[Lemon]

I thought this was interesting. I guess we'll never know if the T was experiencing countertransference or if it was just the author's perception.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/fa..._r=1&ref=style

[sunrise]

I thought that was a really interesting article, and funny too. I admire the tone (I like to write and pay considerable attention to this). I'm not sure if some of the parts I found funny were even supposed to be, lol.

I do agree that this therapist stepped over the line, and I can understand why the client terminated. However, I also liked how it wasn't a tragedy for her that there was a boundary violation, that she didn't seemed harmed by it, and that despite what happened, she and her husband did continue to acknowledge this man's lasting (and positive) effect on their lives. I like it when things aren't black and white.

Here are some lines I enjoyed:

He was a great therapist, minus the fact that he had written me a love poem.

“I tell you everything,” I said. “I answer any question you ask me. I cry every session. I’m a model patient.”
--I found that one amusing in light of the recent discussions here on crying in therapy.

Thanks for bringing this, Lemon.

[MissCharlotte]

Great article. I think it was most definitely countertransference. A love poem--come on!

Loved it. Oh, and I also like that it wasn't a tragedy, a misfortune yes, a tragedy no.

Thanks Lemon.

[pachyderm]

Is that interesting?

[meeka]

Hi
good write-up, take the good with the bad, black with white........... Kinda fun
meeka

My personal belief is that all therapists have countertransference-- however, the countertransference should not find its way into the session if it non-therapeutic or negative. I believe in therapy being provacative without crossing the line (I am not referring to provacative in the sexual sense). Since we do not know what this therapist's real intention was (because what he claimed may not be true), I would say the risk that he took was crossing the line... but in the most interesting way, it worked! The author describes how much she learned from the experience. Perhaps she had a very strong ego... what he did could have damaged a lot of people, whereas it did not seem to damage her too much... but then again, when a therapist takes a risk, it is up to him/her to evaluate the client's readiness to handle the risk. Either way, I would say generally speaking-- the line was crossed!

[Simcha]

Originally Posted by sunrise

Here are some lines I enjoyed:

He was a great therapist, minus the fact that he had written me a love poem.

“I tell you everything,” I said. “I answer any question you ask me. I cry every session. I’m a model patient.”
--I found that one amusing in light of the recent discussions here on crying in therapy.

Thanks for bringing this, Lemon.

LMAO Sunrise!
Talk about role reversal...

[tulips30]

This was really fun & thought provoking. I enjoyed reading it. Thank you for posting. Can't imagine what I would do if my t. mentioned my lips. However......I have told him that he has a "perfect" nose. He blushed

tulips