Fear and Revulsion in the Countertransference

Abstract

The author considers the paper by William Lubart, PhD, drawing attention to the therapist's feelings of fear and revulsion to death and physical suffering in the treatment of a patient with chronic debilitating physical illness, and to the therapist's feelings of shame around straying from therapeutic ideals in the treatment of this patient. Themes of erotic transference and anti-erotic countertransference are also explored.

KEYWORDS:

• therapy
• psychoanalysis
• disability
• sexual feelings in therapy
• fear of death
• therapist shame
• countertransference