Posted by Pfinstegg on December 29, 2004, at 23:49:57
In reply to Daisy Pfinstegg, posted by Aphrodite on December 29, 2004, at 13:34:19
You've described so well why the work with ego states is so difficult to do. The therapists DO get blindsided by different states with sudden storms of unexpected feelings-anger, fear, sorrow, etc., and it takes years of experience not to react by getting angry or hurt. I once said to my T that I wished that I had found him earlier. He replied, "I might not have been experienced enough to help you then." My T also has said, in many different ways, that it's vital to be with clients emotionally- just like yours said. So they have to be open and tuned in to us, but then can't react with over-solicitiousness, anger, worry, etc.- or any feeling which might cause us to close up and start worrying about their feelings. You described it so well! Don't you think, though, that each client-therapist pair gradually get better and better at dealing with one another's feelings, so that the intensity, honesty and intimacy remains, but there is also more calmness and "containment' on the therapist's part?
poster:Pfinstegg
thread:433059
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041228/msgs/435578.html