title: The provocative masochistic patient. An intersubjective approach to treatment.
abstract: The behavior of masochistic patients in therapy can frustrate, disappoint, and irritate their therapists. Therapists will deal with these feelings in ways that their patients will perceive as hurtful and humiliating. The author demonstrates that to the extent that therapists interpret these perceptions as a displacement of the past, their patients will get worse. To the extent that therapists look for their own contributions to feelings of hurt, their patients will improve. Using an intersubjective approach to treatment, the author presents a case report illustrating how he handled sadomasochistic transference phenomena.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008398:Masochism; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012448:Sadism; D014167:Transference, Psychology