Balancing on the Borderline of Early Affect-Confusion - Part 2 of a Case Study Trilogy
Abstract
Part 2 of a case study trilogy on early affect-confusion describes the psychotherapy relationship between an angry/helpless client and the psychotherapist’s skill in balancing the “borderline” between behavioral management and affect attunement, historical inquiry and normalization, validation and shame. The therapeutic use of bifurcated questions and juxtaposition reactions is illustrated.
Keywords
integrative psychotherapy; affect-confusion; phenomenological inquiry; historical inquiry; borderline; behavioral management; therapy contracts; validation; normalization; shame; therapeutic errors; juxtaposition reactions; bifurcated questions