Countertransference and the Therapist's Inner Experience : Perils and Possibilities

Countertransference and the Therapist "s Inner Experience explores the inner world of the psychotherapist and its influences on the relationship between psychotherapist and patient. This relationship is a major element determining the success of psychotherapy, in addition to determining how and to what extent psychotherapy works with each individual patient. Authors Charles J. Gelso and Jeffrey A. Hayes present the history and current status of countertransference, offer a theoretically integrative conception, and focus on how psychotherapists can manage countertransference in a way that benefits the therapeutic process. The book contains completely up-to-date data from existing research findings, and illuminates the universality of countertransference across all psychotherapies and psychotherapists. Contents include: *the operation of countertransference across three predominant theory clusters in psychotherapy; *leading factors involved in the management of countertransference; and *valuable recommendations for psychotherapy practitioners and researchers. Professionals in clinical and counseling psychology, psychiatry, social work, and counseling will benefit from this volume. The book is also appropriate for graduate students in these fields.

Dr. Hayes is Professor of Counseling Psychology at Penn State University, where he has taught since 1993. He has held positions as Associate Editor of Psychotherapy Research, president of the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research, and chair of the Education and Training Committee for the American Psychological Association's Division of Psychotherapy. Dr. Hayes' primary scholarly interests are in the areas of countertransference, psychotherapy process, and the integration of spirituality and psychology. He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in State College, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Gelso received his doctorate in psychology from Ohio State University in 1970. His primary research and clinical interests throughout his career have focused on the therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy. Within this context, he has studied and written extensively about the working alliance, transference and countertransference, and what may be termed the reaql relationship in psychotherapy. Dr. Gelso has authored five books and numerous journal articles and chapters. He has been associate editor and editor of the Journal of Counseling Psychololgy, and currently is editor of Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice & Training. He has also been involved in the practice of individual psychotherapy throughout his career.