Posted by Pfinstegg on May 15, 2003, at 9:07:49
I would love to hear how others deal with times when the transferences to their therapists seem to constitute an emergency in and of itself. I am presently seeing a psychoanalyst, twice weekly, to try to deal better with early maternal neglect and paternal abuse issues. This analyst specializes in severe childhood trauma, and seems to be very skilled at getting me to re-experience my early feelings of loss and terror- but in relation to him. This gives us a lot to work on, but at times it becomes very threatening, itself. Under stress, I don't seem able to remember that I have a compassionate, well-trained therapist helping me with these issues, but instead experience HIM as the source of all my pain. Then, I just want so badly to get out of that office! I don't let myself do that, but the only thing tht I have found that helps me calm down is to ask if I can just sit there with him in total silence- we do that, and it is reassuring and not tense. However, it's also a way of not dealing with extremely painful things. I don't think I have any "observing ego" at those times, to help me keep a bit of perspective on things.
Have others who have been doing this longer than me found additional ways to cope with these situations- and is what I've described something which you also experience?
Pfinstegg
poster:Pfinstegg
thread:226804
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030407/msgs/226804.html