Posted by Wittgensteinz on October 12, 2008, at 10:01:59
In reply to Interesting article about therapy, posted by seldomseen on October 12, 2008, at 6:39:40
Good article and good question!
Was the 'love poem' just a risky strategy of opening up something deeper in the woman's therapy - or was it a daring in-love therapist making a move? Why did he only make notes for her and not her husband? That I find peculiar. The woman doesn't really share how she felt toward him - I mean as a woman in relation to him as a man. Could it be that her feelings skewed her interpretation of his poem? I think if she had strong erotic feelings she wouldn't likely have been able to stand up and take control in the way she did.
My therapist has done things (not as blatant as writing a love-letter/poem) that have led me to wonder where the status lies regarding his countertransference feelings. He knows how I feel about him, but deciphering his feelings is like fitting together pieces of a puzzle or drawing a line between dots. Not that there is any question over the safety of the therapeutic nature of the relationship. I can't help but wonder if there is some intention on his part in creating that puzzle - it gives me more room to explore my issues with men, at least.
Do you think the author's therapist could have been doing something similar? Or simply going with his gut instinct and seeing where it led in terms of her treatment?
Had your therapist done something like that, would you have gone back?! I think I would have - perhaps my desire to look a potentially dangerous situation in the face - or my strong desire for love and approval (even if it comes at the price of exploitation/abuse).
Witti
poster:Wittgensteinz
thread:857029
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081005/msgs/857044.html