64th Annual Conference

Saturday, March 10

Morning Open Sessions

8:45 A.M. - 12:00 Noon

Session 314

A Self Psychological Approach to Patients We Like and Dislke

Chair:         

J. Scott Rutan, Ph.D., CGP, DFAGPA, Senior Faculty, Boston Institute for Psychotherapy, Boston, Massachusetts

Panelists:         

Joseph Shay, Ph.D., CGP, Private Practice, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Walter Stone, M.D., CGP, FAGPA, Professor Emeritus, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

Group members evoke feelings of liking and disliking in their therapists. From a self psychological perspective, Dr. Stone will lead a group of volunteers from the audience who have been asked to role-play one of their patient's that they either like or dislike. Drs Shay and Rutan will respond from different theoretical orientations in order to bring clarity by comparison and contrast.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Identify the problem of empathizing with "unlikeable" patients.
2. Identify countertransference needs of patients deemed "likeable."
3. Describe co-construction (therapist & members) and possible role lock of patients who stir these emotions.
4. Compare selfobject needs of likeable and unlikable members.
5. Describe "microprocess" aspects of group interactions that evoke the contral feelings in this demonstration group.
 

Course References:

1. Stone, W. (2001). The Role of the Therapist's Affect in the Detection of Empathic Failures, Misunderstandings and Injury. Group. 25(1/2), 2-14.
2. Ornstein, P. (2003). The Elusive Concept of the Psychoanalytic Process. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association. 52,15-41.
3. Rutan, J. (2005). Treating Difficult Patients in Groups. In L. Motherwell and J. Shay, Complex Dilemmas in Group Therapy. New York: Brunner-Routledge. 41-49.