title: Self-disclosure. Reconciling psychoanalytic psychotherapy and alcoholics anonymous philosophy.
abstract: Therapists working in the addictions field and practicing from a psychoanalytic psychodynamic framework are often confronted with the patient's need to know, the demand for therapist self-disclosure. Consistent with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) principles, many patients state that they cannot be helped unless the therapist is revealing of their personal background. This paper discusses the theoretical roots of therapist self-disclosure and the AA philosophy and offers suggestions for how the two might be reconciled.
authors.affiliation: Department of Substance Abuse, North Shore University Hospital at Glen Cove, NY 11542, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mallow
mesh_terms: D000436:Alcoholics Anonymous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003379:Countertransference; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012650:Self Disclosure; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*