Countertransference and the Treatment of Trauma (Psychotherapy Practitioner Resource Book Series)

Understanding strong countertransference reactions can be the hardest part of practice for many mental health professionals - particularly with patients who have experienced great trauma. This book aimd to shows mental health practitioners how they can manage their countertransference reactions and use them as a force for healing patients suffering from trauma. The author draws on empirical studies from the Trauma Research Institute and her own clinical experience to establish a set of common countertransference responses for various types of trauma. The author explores actual clinical cases, dissects dialogue transcripts, and goes through the span of treatment to outline the various methods for dealing with countertransference, such as when and how to disclose countertransference reactions to patients. The types of traumatic experiences included are wide-ranging: child physical, sexual and emotional abuse; violent assault, such as mugging, rape, torture, and Holocaust experiences; trauma caused by chronic disillusionment, such as chronic community violence and racism; and traumatic loss, such as physical injury and debilitation.