Page 41 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 20

imagis�c and prone to distorted, projec�ve and ble and responsive. Angry words, accusa�ons
fantasy components, the infant acquires se-
condary processes (7) and develops execu�ve
func�oning capabili�es which help soothe and
delay gra�fica�on. Basic trust, with its sense of
safety ini�ally deriving from a feeling of merger,
becomes transformed to understanding and re-
ason, rendering a more enduring trust and se-
curity.
In Psychotherapy
Illusion of Dependence
Inevitably, in psychotherapy, the therapist fails
to meet the needs of their pa�ent. There will
be a disconnect. The therapist forgets to call
back. Enactments (8) take place that threaten
the less than perfectly harmonized pa�ent/the-
rapist dyad. At this point a rupture in the thera-
peu�c alliance may take place.
The therapist to this point has been viewed by
the pa�ent as trustworthy; a rupture in the re-
la�onship may prompt the pa�ent to feel the
therapist cares only because they are paid to do
so. In other words, the pa�ent ul�mately feels
that they determine the therapist’s care. Alter-
na�vely, the ever-pleasing pa�ent may feel that
it was their fault that the therapist failed them
and that if they had been a be�er pa�ent, the
failure would not have happened. This percep-
�on also is a more subtle sense of feeling that
they are in control of the therapist a�er all. The
pa�ent’s percep�ons of the therapist are fue-
led by a projec�on of their own past experi-
ences on to the therapist. Because the thera-
pist is perceived through a lens that is in the ex-
perience of the pa�ent, these projec�ve me-
chanisms render the therapist as not truly
“other.”
True Dependence
These ruptures are actually a crucial step in the
process of helping the pa�ent move from belie-
ving that their maneuvers, their niceness, their
specialness, is ul�mately what controls the the-
rapist. Only through these ruptures can genui-
ne trust in the goodness of another, the thera-
pist, become possible.
During the rupture, it is essen�al for the thera-
pist to remain steadfast, non-retaliatory, relia-
41
of hypocrisy, lack of care, and even decep�on
may be hurled by the pa�ent. Explana�ons,
and some�mes an apology may be needed
from the therapist. At some point the flurry of
nega�vity will diminish and the therapeu�c al-
liance that had been established will begin to
recons�tute at a deeper level. At this point, the
therapist will make connec�ons to pa�ent’s
past wounds and how they entered into the
enactment. New awareness of the repe��on of
earlier grievances and both pa�ent’s and thera-
pist’s collusion in enactment becomes clarified.
To whatever extent the primi�ve merger bet-
ween pa�ent and therapist had been intact
through projec�on of the pa�ent’s own thin-
king and past experiences, this merger is inter-
rupted and the projec�ons are recognized. On-
ly now can the pa�ent experience the therapist
for who they are and genuinely receive what
they need. Once the ability to truly depend on
an “other” is realized, a maturing of the capaci-
ty for true faith occurs.
Object Constancy
Whereas in the early days of therapy a pa�ent
writhed in pain at the thought of the vaca�o-
ning therapist, now, there is resigned assurance
that the therapist will return, and, in fact may
think of them while away. Basic trust has beco-
me an enduring bond even when pa�ent and
therapist are away from each other.
Experiencing and Understanding
Object constancy is accompanied by an increa-
sed capacity for understanding and care about
the needs of the therapist for rest, rejuvena�on
and nurture. The pa�ent’s capacity to reason,
which permits the therapist to be seen as a se-
parate person, has become a sturdier founda�-
on; the original, immature, and easily shaken
“blind trust” is now in the background of the
therapeu�c rela�onship.
Implica�ons for Faith Journey
Up to this point in the pa�ent’s faith journey,
behaviors based on an iden�fica�on with the
therapist’s modeling were predominate. The
pa�ent was an “obedient child” who wanted to