Transference Opportunities During the Therapist's Pregnancy

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of the analyst's pregnancy on clients in psychoanalysis. After a brief introduction and discussion of relevant literature on the subject, I will describe three clients' evolving awareness of my pregnancy, their fear of being neglected and abandoned by me, their envy and anger, their excitement and their experience of the fetus as a third person in the treatment room. An interactive approach, often with increased self-disclosure on the part of the therapist, is suggested in order to effectively work through the client's complex feelings.

Key Words:

• Pregnancy
• self-disclosure
• involvement
• openness
• real relationship