Self Disclosure and the Analytic Relationship : Facing the Facts

This book explores the inevitable intrusions of the analyst’s personal life into clinical work and how to manage the challenges of self-disclosure, secrecy and analytic identity within this context.

This book explores the inevitable intrusions of the analyst’s personal life into clinical work and how to manage the challenges of self-disclosure, secrecy and analytic identity within this context. Is non-disclosure, e.g. abstinence and neutrality, a realistic goal, or is it an artifact of an idealized analytic identification? Does self-disclosure of any sort by the analyst derail the analytic process and irrevocably damage the transference experience? Analyst self-disclosure remains a compelling and central construct in the field of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis and there are few significant compendiums on this topic that explore the diversity of analytic voices. This book is an extraordinary collection of ideas from experienced psychoanalysts and psychotherapists who have wrestled with questions of self-disclosure from a theoretical, ethical, professional, and personal perspective. It describes the shifting landscape of the analytic field as it relates to self-disclosure, non-disclosure, the concept of neutrality and privacy, the limitations of the analytic frame, and the changing context of theoretical and global realities. Self-Disclosure and the Analytic Relationship will be a useful resource within all psychoanalytic contexts including academic, clinical training, and post-graduate study.