Countertransference and the Therapist's Inner Experience

Charles J. Gelso, Jeffrey Hayes

"If I had but one volume to recommend on countertransference to novice or experienced psychotherapists, researchers or teacher/trainers, it would be Countertransference and the Therapist's Inner Experience. Gelso and Hayes, two master clinicians and academicians, have provided a clearly written, incisive volume on countertransference that applies to all theoretical orientations and successfully bridges the clinical/research divide. I look forward to introducing my students to its conceptual richness and practical recommendations for managing countertransference in successfully conducted psychotherapy." - Stanley B. Messler, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA "This is an extremely well-written, well-organized and accessible book, replete with multiple case examples and well-selected quotes… Perhaps the best feature though is how ‘experience-near’ it feels; this is a book not only for those interested in the topic of countertransference per se, but for all of us interested in improving our clinical skills. It will surely prove helpful to a wide range of practitioners, from those just beginning their graduate work to those who are experienced clinicians." - Barry A. Farber, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, USA"In this comprehensive, even-handed treatment of the topic of countertransference, Charles Gelso and Jeffrey Hayes manage to be both clinically passionate and empirically dispassionate. Therapists, whether beginners or veterans, will appreciate the book’s practical wisdom and its consistent empathic attunement to subtle clinical realities. Researchers will value its conceptual clarity and breadth of scholarship. We have come along way since Freud first identified countertransference, and, as the authors point out, we need to go a lot further. Countertransference and the Therapist’s Inner Experience is a significant milestone on the journey." - Nancy McWilliams, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA

• Contents: Preface. The Past and the Present: The Evolution of Countertransference. An Integrative Conception of Countertransference. Countertransference Within Different Theoretical Stances. Countertransference and the Therapist’s Experiential World. The Management of Countertransference. Empirical Research on Countertransference. Countertransference and the Psychotherapist’s Subjectivity: Conclusions and Recommendations.