Struggles with god: transference and religious countertransference in the treatment of a trauma survivor.
Transference and countertransference in treatment situations where the patient and the therapist share religious faith can be complex. This article discusses the course of therapy of a Christian woman with a history of trauma and depression by a therapist who shared her religious orientation. Counter-transference reactions shaped the therapist's responses to the patient's struggles, and eventually contributed to a new level of trust in their shared God.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. John_Peteet@dfci.harvard.edu
John R
JR
Peteet
D002410:Catholicism; D003379:Countertransference; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D014167:Transference, Psychology; D035502:Trust