Posted by steelmagnolia25 on July 30, 2004, at 8:12:25
In reply to transference question, posted by crazymaisie on July 29, 2004, at 23:08:08
Hey CM,
What a great question. I am sure that others on this board can be more helpful, but here's my thoughts on the matter. First of all, transference may only be helpful if your T knows how to deal with it. Some T's are overwhelmed by a client's feelings and either avoid discussion of them or worse, exploit those feelings. What a mistake! Transference is quite common in therapy and if treated with proper respect, can lead to great therapy achievements. You may want to read the book "In Session" if you would like to learn about others' accounts of experiencing transference.
As to how it can be helpful, that is usually a very individual issue. Objectively, the theory of transference is that the T is a clean slate upon whom you project certain feelings about someone or something in your past. Therefore, your feelings aren't "really" about your T, but rather a projection of your feelings about something that is likely very significant or concerning for you. It can be very helpful to explore those projections and determine what they mean for you, i.e. why this T inspires your maternal instinct (or was it the other way around? I'm not sure from your post). It can be very a painful experience, particularly for those who "fall in love" with T. I've been there!
Take care,
SM
poster:steelmagnolia25
thread:372189
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040728/msgs/372273.html