Posted by Dr. Bob on February 28, 2004, at 11:37:44
In reply to Question for Erika Schmidt...re: transference, posted by jay on February 25, 2004, at 22:20:00
These kinds of boundary violations are unethical, sometimes illegal, and antithetical to good psychotherapy. I'm glad to hear that the professional boards responsible are taking such complaints seriously.
Transference, which basically includes the feelings, thoughts, wishes, fears, longings, and anxieties that a person brings to relationship experience, gets focused attention in the therapeutic relationship and becomes an important avenue for understanding emotional and interpersonal difficulties. Countertransference is the therapist's experience in response to a person's transference and similarly becomes a critical tool for understanding the meaning of feelings, fears and responses. Used responsibly in the course of therapy, they make therapeutic learning possible. When mishandled, or acted upon rather than reflected upon, they can undermine the therapeutic process.
Erika Schmidt, LCSW
poster:Dr. Bob
thread:317744
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040225/msgs/318500.html