Posted by zenn4 on November 25, 2003, at 12:12:37
I read an article awhile ago, it may be of some interest to some. It was published in "Psychoanalytic psychology" v.20:no.3 (2003:summer) - called "Love in Psychotherapy". The author is Natterson, p.509-521. It talks about the "love" - if you will - a therapist feels towards patients and how it can be, in some ways, a mutual/recipricol relationship. Though it must have boundaries, it is not as sterile as some of us might like to think. That can be as equally as fightening as having a 2 by 4. There is much angst, speaking for myself, and feeling that arises out of this. Having a normal relationship, what is that? How would it feel? The best a therapist can give you, I think, is support and mutual understanding. There is talk of "containing" as well. Even with someone who is well-versed or even well-trained, does not substitute for someone with practical experience. But one cannot be all "touchy-feely" either. They have to know something about something. It's the therapists job to keep the boundaries and confines clear and to respond to their patients needs. This the ideal, but I think somehwere in between, life happens ....
poster:zenn4
thread:283640
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031123/msgs/283640.html