Posted by Susan47 on May 7, 2005, at 19:54:29
In reply to Re: Is it really harmful to be friends with T ? » pinkeye, posted by alexandra_k on May 4, 2005, at 1:35:09
Yeah, and the point of termination actually is that you're terminating a therapy relationship. Period. It seems like some therapists think that way, in any case. It doesn't matter whether the client's ready or whether they've adequately hashed anything out, the therapist's ceiling level of comfort has been reached, he is unable to further grow or expand or deal with things, and it's bye-bye sweetheart you're on your own, here's a recommendation or whatever, just get the hell out of my face ...
I'm not bitter. :-]
To the original subject question on the thread, though, I think I was not thinking clearly before. Some writers can be very persuasive, until you take personal experience into account etc.
After some re-thinking I agree that a therapist shouldn't see a client as a friend, you know, I think Yalom crossed a line and justified his actions with the fact that nothing bad happened. Great, in hindsight, if that worked for him. But Lott brings up some good arguments in her book, against that, and I think ShortE brought them up too, before. A T and an ex-client could possibly be friends after that relationship's terminated, and maybe they could terminate a therapy relationship because they want to be friends, but it shouldn't be done concurrently. No way. And I don't know too many people who'd really be comfortable being friends with an ex-client. It would have to be pretty exceptional to work.
poster:Susan47
thread:493094
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050504/msgs/495001.html