On maybe becoming a psychotherapist, perhaps

Abstract

Learning the art of psychotherapy can be an anxiety provoking endeavour. These anxieties are engendered by the loss of the medical model, with attendant feelings of anger, doubt and alienation, and by the development of a psychodynamic model which facilitates the rising into consciousness of the resident's own warded off wishes. Transient overidentification with the patient, inability to handle silences and countertransference feelings of anger, lust or envy are other phenomena which stimulate anxiety in the neophyte therapist. The conflictual dual role of the supervisor, as seen by the resident, is one other source of anxiety. It is necessary for the resident to deal with and, hopefully, work through these stresses so that he may learn and practise psychotherapy in a nonconstricted, nondistorted manner.