ABSTRACT
A rereading of the work of Harold Searles in light of the more contemporary paradigm of dissociation refreshes our insights into transference and countertransference phenomena with patients who rely heavily on dissociation. Searles's perspective on the dependence of the analyst (therapist) on his or her patients, the reality of patients' projections, and patients' need to cure their analyst can be helpful in resolving conundrums and impasses in the treatment of dissociative disordered patients. The reciprocity of dissociative phenomena between patients and therapists, wherein therapists must own the reality of their own dissociative processes in the therapeutic transaction, recontextualizes Searles's clinical contributions.
This paper represents a major revision of a paper presented at the 22nd International Fall Conference of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, November 2005. Many thanks to those who made significant contributions to the writing of this paper: Elana Benatar, Diane Roehm, Dr. Cheryl Seaman, and the editors of Journal of Trauma & Dissociation.
Notes
Chefetz, R. A. (2007). Personal communication via e-mail, Feb. 2, 2007.