Psychotherapy: An Erotic Relationship challenges the traditional belief that transference and countertransference are merely forms of resistance which jeopardize the therapeutic process. David Mann shows how the erotic feelings and fantasies experienced by clients and therapists can be used to bring about a positive transformation.
Combining extensive clinical material with theoretical insights and new research on infants, the author traces erotic development back to the parent-child relationship, drawing parallels between this relationship and the therapist/client dyad. Individual chapters explore the function of the erotic within the unconscious, pre-Oedipal and Oedipal material, homoeroticism in therapy, sexual intercourse as a metaphor for psychological change, the primal scene and the difficulties of working with perversions.

About the Author
David Mann is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. He works in primary care and private practice. He also runs workshops and teaches on psychotherapy training programmes.

Reviews

'This book breathes fresh air into a delicate and problematic part of therapy: the therapist's own sexual feelings and meanings...It is a must for sex therapists.' - Sexual and Marital Therapy

'Immensely readable. There is no shortage of clear clinical examples to illustrate what he is saying, and his openness about his own countertransference is refreshing and enabling. He has encouraged me to think anew about my own work.' - Reflections

Book Information
ISBN 9780415148528
Author David Mann
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 410g