Posted by Tamar on August 10, 2007, at 15:02:25
In reply to Re: getting back into therapy. » sunnydays, posted by Squiggles on August 10, 2007, at 14:29:55
> That sounds miraculous. I thought that development of the personality stopped at 18. That's what Aristotle thought too.:-)I'm not aware of a consensus about when personality development stops. Who says it's 18? I'm pretty sure Jung wouldn't agree with that.
> If it can be done, great, but what about situations where you can change your response through therapy but an abuser can't, won't or will kill you if you try to stand up to him?
I think in a situation like the one you describe, a therapist's task would be to help the client to acknowledge the severity of the abuse and help her/him to restore enough of a sense of self to leave the abuser. Victims in a situation like this are often afraid to leave and can even come to believe that they deserve to be abused.
> That is the kind of psychoanalysis that people need; what Ts do is never that heavy.
Sorry to disagree, but this is a very common experience for therapists. Domestic violence is widespread, and therapists frequently work with clients who live with abusers. Perhaps some therapists are less skilled in that area than others, but it's by no means an uncommon reason to be in therapy. And sometimes it takes a lot of therapy before the victim is able to leave the abuser, because the domestic abuse is so psychologically damaging.
poster:Tamar
thread:775224
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20070807/msgs/775313.html