The dying patient in psychotherapy : desire, dreams, and individuation

in This Book Joy Schaverien Raises Questions Regarding The Meaning Of Love And Death In Psychotherapy. The Multiple Layers Of An Erotic Transference Reveal The Developmental Path From Infancy To Adult Sexual Intimacy, Engaging The Analyst As Well As The Patient In A Process Of Psychological Transformation. A Series Of Dreams, Rich In Symbolic Imagery, Traces The Emotional Situation As Awareness Of Death Approaches. Imaginative, Personal, Theoretical And Practical, It Shows, Through Detailed Attention To The Countertransference, How Adherence To The Analytic Frame Facilitates Individuation. The Dying Patient in Psychotherapy is powerful account of love and death within a therapeutic relationship. The narrative traces one man's journey and that of the analyst who accompanies him. Following on from Joy Schaverien's highly- acclaimed previous books, this full length description of an analysis demonstrates the developmental path of an erotic transference from its origins in infancy, through fantasies of sex and violence, to mature erotic intimacy. The countertransference is considered with exceptional honesty as the analysis intensifies following the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. A series of dreams, rich in symbolic imagery, traces the psychological situation as death approaches. This book is essential reading for analysts, psychotherapists, counsellors, arts therapists, and all professionals working with the dying. The compelling narrative will also fascinate the general reader. It is practical, theoretical, and imaginative and all, whether expert or new to the subject, will be inspired as the process of individuation is revealed. This book is about psychotherapy with a terminally ill patient but it is intended for a far broader readership than this indicates. In an intensely moving narrative Joy Schaverien raises questions regarding the meaning of love and death in psychotherapy. The multiple layers of an erotic transference reveal the developmental path from infancy to adult, sexual intimacy, engaging the analyst, as well as patient, in a process of psychological transformation. A series of vivid dreams, rich in symbolic imagery, traces the emotional situation as awareness of death approaches. Imaginative, personal, t The aim of this book is twofold: to elucidate a psychological approach to death and dying; and, following on from Desire and the Female Therapist (Schaverien,1995), to further develop an understanding of the meaning and purpose of the erotic transference and countertransference dynamic. This work is about psychotherapy with a terminally ill patient but it is intended for a far broader readership than this indicates. Joy Schaverien raises questions regarding the meaning of love and endings in psychotherapy