Posted by BirdSong on June 18, 2009, at 20:24:20
In reply to Re: Please follow site guidelines, posted by garnet71 on June 18, 2009, at 18:33:26
Garnet,
Please reread my posts regarding transference and my response to your very first post about this whole issue as well.
I apologize if you think I was implying that the reason your p-doc was not working with you was because of your transference reactions and attachment. I clearly stated several times that your p-doc is not working with you because the issue is with him...ie, old, not going to be available for intensive therapy for years, etc.While at times, an immediate attachment as your p-doc said "unusually quick" can signify certain diagnoses, that does not imply anything regarding you and why your analyst would not work with you.
Therapists can "do things" that intensify transference, some on purpose (not calling a client back) and some accidently (having to cancel an appointment with little notice); however things that are done on purpose are generally thought about and at times documented to ensure that the client is at a point to deal with the reaction that will develop.......BUT, transference exists in our everyday lives and does not have to be induced by a therapist or analyst. We replay and react based on transference. So, pretend you had a mother who consistently put you down and told you that you were stupid. Now, let's say you have a teacher that gives you back an assignment with a bad grade and glances at you in a way that you interpret to be a put-down. Was the teacher really looking at you as a put-down or are you reacting to transference based on your experience with your mother??Working through the transference that develops is how your unconscious mind works to fix your reactions. Your defense mechanism (regression, suppression, etc) exist to protect you from the unconscious getting conscious. Everyone has different defense mechanism and each person responds to a transference reaction differently. Some regress, some dissociate, some deny, some get angry, etc.
Please note: Regression therapy is not psychoanalytic therapy. Regression therapy is more solution focused.
A good analyst, a good psychodynamic T, a good play-therapy T, never turns a client away because of the intensiveness of the transference. As I said the first day to you, "Wow, this is fun!"....because the theory is based in believing in the power of the unconscious mind and what you bring to the room and react to.
But, good Ts or analysts WILL turn away a client if they (a) do not have time to keep themselves well, (b) will harm other clients by having too many, and (c) if the T recognizes that the client needs more than can be offered, because of time, life changes, etc.
I would like to direct you to the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA). There is some interesting information and possible reading that you might enjoy.
One thing I think that at times many people confuse is the difference between true analysis and psychodynamic therapy. Analysis is usually done 3-4-5 times a week laying on a couch with a "blank slate/quiet" analyst. It is classic Freud theory with adult clients or Melanie Klein theory with play in children.
In analysis, the analyst "listens" while the client free associates and brings forth anything that comes to their mind.Psychodynamic therapy is usually done 2-3 times a week sitting face to face with a T who is more engaged with the client. The T "listens" but the T also responds.
In both settings, transference is very important. But, in analysis, because of the "therapeutic frame and setting" and the contact time, the transference develops a more intense quality to it and yes, it can become a TN.
Children attach in many styles. As adults those styles remain if not dealt with in therapy. So, one's attachment style will also come out in the transference and the relationship. I suggest looking into attachment styles, both from a child perspective and an adult perspective, as it will also provide you good insight into what is occurring/occurred.
Now, I responded to your post the way I did because your post was insightful and knowledgable. I did not respond to come across as a "smarty-pants" ~ but I know you and others can understand and perhaps then wish to research further. If I thought you were an idiot, I would not have responded like this. You are clearly interested in understanding analysis and perhaps the theories behind it all.
Best of luck with your new analyst. It is hard work, but if you have the insight, which it seems you do, and the coping skills to do analysis, you will come out a different person. Trust me.
It might cost a small fortune....but that is another story.
poster:BirdSong
thread:901600
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090614/msgs/901900.html