Deepening Intimacy in Psychotherapy : Using the Erotic Transference and Countertransference [Hardcover]

Florence Rosiello (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765702657 | ISBN-13: 978-0765702654 | Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | Edition: 1

In this provocative volume, Dr. Florence W. Rosiello addresses erotic dynamics in the treatment relationship within the context of a two-person therapy, emphasizing the necessity of mutuality and emotional reciprocity between patient and therapist. With rich clinical illustrations, she demonstrates how the intimacy created by working within the sexual dimension of the therapeutic relationship may present opportunities for insight and growth that could easily be missed if one seeks to avoid these highly charged issues. Focusing on those patients who are predisposed to relating to others in a sexualized manner, Dr. Rosiello has discovered that mutual exploration of both the therapist's and the patient's subjective experience offers a valuable and effective means of enhancing the treatment.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dr. Florence Rosiello has written an important, pioneering book. It is composed of a collection of clinical experiences with patients who have developed erotic transferences. These experiences reflect a wide range in gender and sexual orientation configuration of patient and therapist. As Dr. Rosiello points out, the important area of erotic transference and counter-transference has, for the most part, been neglected in the clinical literature. She describes these erotic narratives with courage and sophistication. It is clear that the expression of loving and sexual feelings in the transference involves emotional risk taking on the part of the therapist. In these beautifully and sensitively written vignettes, Dr. Rosiello demonstrates that working with the erotic transference creates the basis for a very special emotional intimacy in the therapeutic relationship. This volume is highly recommended to clinicians at all levels of experience. (Jefferey Seinfeld, Ph.D. )

Dr. Rosiello has performed the enormous service of taking the erotic transference and countertransference out of the therapeutic closet. In this scholarly and incisive account of the psychoanalytic view of the erotic transference, she courageously ventures into territory that has tended to be off limits. With rich illustrations, she vividly shows how both same- and different-gender patients and therapists struggle to make sense of and deal with their erotic feelings in treatment. Dr. Rosiello has significantly enlarged our view of the meaning of the erotic transference to encompass a patient's positive developmental strivings for connection and intimacy. She makes a major contribution to our understanding of the ways in which therapists need to participate with patients during psychotherapy. (Eda G. Goldstein, DSW )

Today's psychotherapist is faced with the important challenge of making use of his or her individual voice and temperament. Florence Rosiello takes up this challenge where others might avoid it, in the difficult arena of the erotic transference and countertransference experience. Dr. Rosiello uses creativity laced with humor to demonstrate how her unique point of view can be used in this context to deepen the relationship between therapist and patient. (Emmanuel Kaftal, Ph.D. )

About the Author

Florence W. Rosiello, Ph.D., is faculty and supervisor at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, as well as faculty and supervisor at the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center and the New York Institute for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology. She is in private practice in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 234 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc.; 1 edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765702657
• ISBN-13: 978-0765702654
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Provocative Look at Sexual Tensions in Therapy, April 7, 2002

By 

Oneman "Oneman" (Out west) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deepening Intimacy in Psychotherapy : Using the Erotic Transference and Countertransference (Hardcover)

This is a brave and inspiring book by an experienced, analytically-trained clinician who learned from leading a group of gay men with AIDS that the traditional Freudian treatments of erotic transference-abstention and interpretation, usually as resistence-could stifle some patients. These dying men demanded that Dr. Rosiello take more emotional risk. She did with them and then with other patients. The book describes a series of therapeutic encounters, including an asexual man, a seductive lesbian patient, and a therapist who is smitten with a new patient in the waiting room and, after many false starts, finds Dr. Rosiello for supervision. I thought this vignette, which is followed by a retelling by the supervisee, to be the most useful for teaching purposes. Supervision often does not work well for erotic transference issues. Dr. Rosiello offers an explanation: "Sexuality or just plain sex is quite shameful since without mutuality, sexual desire that is recounted or experienced in supervision can feel humiliating."

There is also an excellent review of the analytic literature with some interesting insights (e.g., "the primary intersubjective condition of erotic life is that of `experiencing the dizziness together'").

Dr. Rosiello rejects the classic view that the erotic transference-countertransference matrix must be ended or the patient referred to another analyst, persuasively arguing that for some patients it can deepen the intimacy and benefit the therapy. The book offers an alternative for treating these patients. And she asks some provocative questions, like, What makes something "sex?" What is happening when patients recount the explicit details of sex with therapists they are dating? Is it dishonest to dress asexually for the patients? How much of a therapist's sexual feelings are beneficial to share? She also discusses homoerotic feelings in therapy, a subject hidden, even now.

My only criticism is that while she is clear that she makes sure her supervisees are not in danger of acting out, she doesn't say how and doesn't discuss any of the ethical issues inherent in working with erotic transference. For example, she says that flirtation keeps things in play and she wouldn't assure a patient angry at her that expressing the anger would be safe, so why tell a patient it would be safe to express erotic feelings. One reason would be that in some states the therapist is required to tell the patient that sex between them isn't a possibility. Perhaps Amazon will pair this book with "Sexual Feelings in Psychotherapy," which focuses more on ethical issues. But this is a small complaint. I was fascinated by this book and inspired by the author's courage both as a clinician and a writer.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A groundbreaking work, March 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Deepening Intimacy in Psychotherapy : Using the Erotic Transference and Countertransference (Hardcover)

Rosiello's book represents new ground in dealing with erotic transference and erotic countertransference in psychoanalytic treatment. Her openness in her discussing her erotic feelings will provoke many readers, while offering many more a new way of working with these often difficult feelings. Negotioating patients through these often turbulent waters is Rosiello's specialty, and the numerous clinical examples should give many clinicians a new way of treating patients. Her close examinations of both her feelings as well as her patients' feelings can help many therapists add a new dimension to their work, and can offer insights in helping to reboot a stalled treatment. Her work cannot be praised enough for its bravery and honesty.

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars sketchy, February 26, 2006

By 

N. Kozlowski (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deepening Intimacy in Psychotherapy : Using the Erotic Transference and Countertransference (Hardcover)

After reading the entire book, it was not entirely clear to me whether she had an innovative new approach, or whether she needed to come to a better self-understanding. Specifically, she seemed to be very proud of feeling comfortable wearing sexy clothes to session, and viewed clients wearing sexy clothes as progress. I just don't know what to make of it.