Posted by deborah anne lott on August 5, 2005, at 21:00:03
In reply to Lott: Question about countertransference, posted by pinkeye on August 4, 2005, at 13:24:47
Therapists are bound to have some negative feelings for some clients sometimes. That's why therapists are supposed to seek consultation. So that someone else can help them work through what they're feeling and figure out what's coming from them, what's coming from the client, and how they can best use their feelings --positive and negative -- in the client's behalf. I also don't think it's entirely out of line for a therapist to disclose that something the client is doing in the context of the relationship is impairing the therapist's ability to do his/her job.
Dear Miss Lott,
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> What should a therapist do when he/she develops countertransference towards a patient? Can she/he continue to see the patient? What if the feelings become extremely negative and they start disliking the patient? How are they supposed to handle intense likings/dislikings? ARe they supposed to stop all contact with a client if they develop such feelings?
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> In my case, I am now pretty sure my pschiatrist developed some intense negative feelings towards me. And he terminated me and stopped all contact with me. Initially he said he would even give me a referral etc, but then now when I asked for one, he didn't give me that also. And I think I really didn't do anything specific to irritate him too much. But I am very sure he somehow started disliking me and didn't want to have anything to do with me - and that also almost suddenly. I have tried to figure out what I did wrong, and I have asked him, but he never replies. I think I perhaps irritated him by asking few times if he liked me etc. But I don't think it is such a horrible thing for a patient to do things like that.
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poster:deborah anne lott
thread:537469
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050801/msgs/538073.html