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Seeking to mediate between the "classical" view of countertransference as a neurotic impediment to the treatment process and the more recent "totalist" perspective, which assumes that the therapist's emotional response necessarily reveals something about the patient, Tansey and Burke stake out a thoughtful middle ground. They submit that the therapist's utilization of adequately processed countertransference reactions is in fact integral to treatment success, while arguing against the totalist assumption that the therapist's emotional to the patient must be revelatory in a direct and immediate way.
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UNDERSTANDING COUNTERTRANSFERENCE From Projective Identification to Empathy
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Michael J. Tansey Walter F. Burke
UNDERSTANDING COUNTERTRANSFERENCE From Projective Identification to Empathy
U J Psychology Press X
Taylor & Francis Group
New York London London
First Published by The Analytic Press, Inc. Editorial Offices: 101 West Street Hillsdale, Nj 07642 Transferred to Digital Printing 2009 by Psychology Press 270 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016 27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA Copyright 1989 by The Analytic Press, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form: by photostat, microform, retrieval system, or any other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Set in Melior type by TechType, Upper Saddle River, Nj
First paperback printing 1995
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tansey, Michael j. Understanding countertransference. Bibliography; p. Includes index. 1. Countertransference I. Burke, Walter F. II. Title. RC489.C68T36 1989 616.89'14 88-24217 ISBN 0-88163-227-9
Publisher's Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the origi nal may be apparent.
To my parents, Connie and Walter WF.B.
To Pamela M.]. T.
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I had seen so many people all my life-I was an average mixer, but more than average in a tendency to identify myself, my ideas, my destiny, with those of all classes that I came in contact with .... I had become identified with the objects of horror or compassion . .. identification such as this spells the death of accomplishment. It is something like this that keeps insane people from working. -F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Crack Up," 1936
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Contents Preface 1 Introduction
xi 1
2 Countertransference, Empathy, and
Projective Identification: An Historical Perspective 3 Discussion of Terms
9 39
4 The Unitary Sequence for Processing
Interactional Communications: An Introduction
65
5 The Reception Phase
71
6 Internal Processing
85
7 The Communication Phase
99
8 Validation
111
9 Countertransference Disclosure
133
10 Clinical Illustrations
151
11 Closing Comments
195
References
205
Author Index
213
Subject Index
217
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Preface
The inspiration for this work came predominantly from our association with Dr. Merton Gill. Having participated in his psychotherapy seminar during graduate school, we were fortunate enough to be able to form a weekly study group with him upon graduation. That group began in 1978, continues to meet, and has exerted a major impact upon clinical psychology throughout the city of Chicago. Unlike many others who have achieved eminence in this field, Merton has always encouraged independent thinking rather th