Desire and the Female Therapist

by Schaverien; Joy

• ISBN13: 9780415087001
• ISBN10: 0415087007
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1995-09-13
• Publisher: ROUTLEDGE

Summary

Desire and the Female Therapistis an exploration of desire in the transference and countertransference in clinical practice, particularly the erotic transference experienced between the female therapist and the male client. While this transference is frequently understood as a maternal response to the infantile origins of the transference, author Joy Schaverien acknowledges that adult sexual feelings are often central in the dynamic as well. If these feelings are left unacknowledged, there is potential for unconscious acting out and resulting sexual abuse. The countertransference effects of the meeting of gazes of artist/picture/therapist are investigated, drawing on psychoanalytic and aesthetic theory, particularly Lacan, Winnicott and Jung. This leads to a significant new approach to pictures in therapy through the development of the "aesthetic countertransference." Richly illustrated with pictures, as well as clinical vignettes,Desire and the FemaleTherapistfollows on from Schaverien's innovative bookThe Revealing Image.It connects psychotherapy and art therapy theory and offers a new contribution to both.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	ix
Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xiv
Definition of terms	xv
Introduction	1	(14)
Desire and the female therapist	15	(29)
Desire and the male patient: anorexia	44	(18)
The pictures	62	(59)
The transactional object: art psychotherapy in the treatment of anorexia	121	(20)
The aesthetic countertransference: desire in art and psychoanalysis	141	(15)
Desire, the spaces in-between and the image of a child	156	(20)
The lure and reflections	176	(20)
The engendered gaze	196	(17)
Conclusion	213	(4)
Notes	217	(1)
Organisations	218	(1)
Bibliography	219	(9)
Index	228