Posted by gardenergirl on February 20, 2005, at 6:48:02
In reply to Re: the session that prompted this post...details, posted by lonelygal2 on February 19, 2005, at 21:20:21
((((SV))))
That sounds like a rough session. I'm sorry it's so difficult right now. And I know how much you care about your T. And that the relationship will have to end when you are done with school. All that is really really hard.
I'm not sure exactly what was said in your session, but I wanted to talk for a minute about transference and counter-transference in hopes of offering some comfort to you. Those terms can be really loaded emotionally. But they really are just psychological terms to describe the feelings that go on between the client and the T. The term is used to describe how those real feelings impact the therapy process.
Transference is about the wishes, feelings, hopes, fantasies, and beliefs the client has about the T. Now really, we have these about everyone in some way. And they are real wishes, feelings, hopes, fantasies, and beliefs. It's called transference because within the therapy relationship, the client "transfers" these feelings to the T rather than someone IRL. This does not make it any less real.
Counter-transference is somewhat the same. It's the feelings and such transferred from the T onto the client. It is no less real, but it can be problematic when it distorts the T's thinking about the client or understanding of the client.
Perhaps your T was talking about your relationship in those terms in order to highlight how your relationship has impacted your own therapy process. Studies have shown that the strength of the therapy relationship is the biggest predictor of outcome in therapy.
It's also quite possible that because you two are moving towards an eventual termination, she is using those terms to try to ease you towards being able to end the relationship? That is just speculation on my part, though.
At any rate, I can hear how incredibly painful this was for you. I hope you can find a way to tell her, whether it's in continuing therapy or during a termination session.
Please take care of yourself, sweets.
gg
poster:gardenergirl
thread:459867
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050218/msgs/460719.html