Relating through the body: Therapist experience as an indicator of interpersonal functioning and affective experience in patients with chronic somatic distress.
Item
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Title
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Relating through the body: Therapist experience as an indicator of interpersonal functioning and affective experience in patients with chronic somatic distress.
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Identifier
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AAI3283622
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identifier
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3283622
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Creator
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Schwartz, Marjorie.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Steven Tuber
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Date
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2007
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical | Psychology, Physiological
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Abstract
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Chronic physical pain is an increasingly prevalent problem in the U.S., one that often first surfaces in medical settings. Many individuals suffering from chronic pain, especially those whose complaints prove unresponsive to medical treatment, are referred to psychotherapists to assist them in dealing with the impact of living with pain. In these instances, psychotherapists are placed in the difficult role of working towards alleviating the individual's emotional suffering, while simultaneously standing witness to sometimes intense levels of unremitting physical pain. Previous research on individuals with chronic somatic distress has pointed to the likelihood that this population may process emotion differently, and may also present with unique, often challenging interpersonal dynamics. With these themes in mind, this psychodynamically-oriented, exploratory study sought to further elaborate current understanding of the somatically distressed patient by looking at the patient through the lens of the treating therapist, paying special attention to the affective and interpersonal experiences of the therapist. It was anticipated that the therapist would be forced to rely more heavily on physical, unsymbolized (nonverbal) modes of communication, and that his or her emotional response, and the way it was understood, would provide a window into the host of pulls and pressures that the pain patient may feel but may be less equipped to verbalize. Ten therapists were administered a semi-structured, qualitative interview geared toward examining their understanding of their relationship with their pain patient, as well as their own personal emotional responses during therapy sessions with their pain patient. While results varied from subject to subject, it was found that body-based, non-linguistic modes of communication were common, as were interpersonal dynamics related to aggression and narcissism. Therapists, like their patients in these cases, often appeared to struggle with putting their difficult experiences into language.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
