The aim of this study is to explicate the concepts transference and countertransference from the psychoanalytic, interpersonal and cybernetic perspectives. Commonalities and differences in definition are described. The notion that transference and countertransference provide the therapist with objective interpersonal information concerning the patient or client system is explored. It is pointed out that whilst, according to the tenets of second-order cybernetics, objective interpersonal information is not possible, transference and countertransference analysis, nevertheless, according to this viewpoint, provide the therapist with a double description. Such a description may influence the therapist's interpretation or understanding of the system at hand and be a component then also of the coconstructed, therapeutic reality of the therapist and patient or client. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / The development of the person of the therapist is increasingly being highlighted in systemic therapeutic training. This emphasis on the person of the therapist can be traced back to the rise of constructivism. Constructivism represents the viewpoint that reality is created rather than discovered. As a result the therapist's contribution to the therapeutic process is considered cardinal. The personal style of the therapist is once more placed under the limelight. Exactly how this variable must be handled to ensure optimal efficiency is still unclear. Suggestions in this regard are mostly related to some therapeutic model. The objective of this study, on the contrary, is to determine the value of a more general approach. A procedure developed by the University of South Africa, accentuating the person of the therapist, has been evaluated. / Opleiding in sistemiese terapie word al hoe meer gekenmerk deur die ontwikkeling van die persoon van die terapeut. Die beklemtoning van die persoon van die terapeut kan veral na die opkoms van die onstruktivisme teruggevoer word. Hierdie denkrigting verteenwoordig die standpunt dat die werklikheid eerder geskep as ontdek word. Gevolglik word die terapeut se bydrae tot die terapeutiese proses as van deurslaggewend beskou. Die persoonlike styl van die terapeut word dus opnuut onder die soeklig geplaas. Hoedat hierdie veranderlike egter hanteer moet word om optimale effektiwiteit te verseker, is egter nie duidelik nie. Meeste voorstelle hou direk verband met een of ander terapeutiese model. Met hierdie studie is daar egter gepoog om die waarde van 'n meer algemene benadering te peil. 'n Prosedure wat met verloop van tyd aan die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika ontwikkel is, is gevolglik verder - en wei vanuit die gesigshoek van die terapeut - ondersoek. / M.A. (Voorligtingsielkunde)

In this research I employ a social constructionist and a discourse analytic approach in order to theorise the phenomenon of metaphor and its use in therapy. I draw upon critical social psychology debates on notions such as 'self, subjectivity and materiality. Sixteen participants took part in this study. Eight of those were practising therapists, five were clients and three were both therapists in training as well as clients. The participants were interviewed about their views on metaphor and its use in therapy, using semi-structured interview schedules. The three therapists/clients took part in a focus group to explore experiences and views from both positionings and to observe the co-creation of meaning in action. Two versions of discourse analysis were employed in the analysis of the resulting transcripts: Discursive Psychology (DP) (Potter and Wetherell, 1987) and Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) (Parker, 1992). I argue that while a number of competing and contradictory discursive resources regulate the meaning of 'metaphor', metaphor eschews reductionist conceptualisations. Instead, it is a complex discursive phenomenon with 'real' implications for subjectivity and action. As metaphor makes available certain world-views and subject positions, therapists are called to evaluate their awareness of the implications of the use of metaphor. I also observe that there are currently limited discourses that allow us to talk of metaphor as a process, rather than as a reified entity. I argue that, far from being a medium of mere representation of experience (the 'merely explanatory' account), metaphor actively creates experience. It is within a relational, contextual and collaborative (Le. co-constructive) way, rather than a mere strategic and instrumentalist one, that metaphor can best be understood and utilised in therapy for the benefit of clients.

Thesis (D. Th. (Praktiese Teologie))--Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, 2002.

Background: According to the existing evidence base, the experience of ending therapy, from the perspectives of adolescents who are looked after, is substantially under researched. Moreover, the ending of therapy is highlighted as an important phase of the therapy process and previous research into ending therapy indicates this as a valuable area of research. The available literature indicates that those with a history of loss may find the ending phase particularly challenging. It was hoped that the research findings may assist Clinical Psychologists and other therapists to make sense of how young people experience ending therapy, and may also highlight ways in which therapists can support looked after young people through this transition. Aims: The study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the way in which young people who are looked after make sense of ending psychological therapy. Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six looked after adolescents who had recently ended psychological therapy. The transcripts of the interviews were then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: Four master themes emerged from analysis: inextricable link between therapy and therapy relationship, ambivalence, means of coping and moving on from therapy. Implications and Conclusion: This study highlights the need for careful and on going consideration of the ending phase of therapy with this population. It also gives further support to the significance of the therapeutic relationship and consideration of this at the end of therapy. Areas for future research are highlighted, notably the value of conducting further research with looked after young people, to explore factors such as culture and gender on the experience of ending therapy.

The aim of this study is to develop a methodology, through phenomenology, for exploring the unknown in the acquisition of therapeutic knowledge. An exploration is made of the way various writers attempt to explain the unknown, raising a problematic about how the unknown can become defined as if known, whereas others attempt to hold open the question of the unknown of the unknown. It is argued that learning places emphasis on knowing whereas in psychotherapy, there is increasing interest in learning to tolerate doubt and uncertainty. Ten participants were interviewed in terms of the question ‘how do psychotherapists learn about the unknown?’ An empirical phenomenological method was utilised to translate a general descriptive structure of the phenomenon. Findings suggest learning about the unknown as acquired during a process of lifelong enquiry through interrelated experiences, including: the known, training, therapy and supervision, practice and just living. Furthermore, immersion in experiences and relationships highlighted recognition of the spiritual or mystical, opening up hope in the face of fear of death and repeated disillusionment, with realisation that no single theory explains everything. In de-translating findings, examples of a second analysis suggested that reverie seemed more helpful in researcher and participants was disrupted, compared to empirical psychological phenomenology which separates phenomenology from philosophy. Reverie was explored as an approach, which can attend more to aspects where something other than dialectic of birth and death has possibility, and the unknown emerges when one disrupts the intentional position of the other.

This study is based on heuristic methodology and looks at counsellor/therapists’ experience of integrating Christian faith with their clinical practice. The researcher overtly includes her own material and documents her own internal process as part of the research journey. Some of this is achieved by the inclusion of portions of creative writing. The literature review covers a wide field, looking at the relationship between spirituality and counselling from both historical and contemporary writers. It includes both US and UK material and representation from both secular and Christian sources. It examines the ethics and the practicalities of integrating faith with practice. Interview material is presented from twenty-two practitioners, together with that of three named academics in the field. Initially three exemplars are described in their entirety, as representatives of different groups of counsellors within the whole sample. Four major themes of interest emerged from the academic interviews. These themes were: a) Attention to the spirituality of the counsellorb) Support for the counsellor working with the spiritual dimensionc) The effect of context, culture and language of the counsellingd) The effect of client’s spirituality on the counselling process. Material from all interviewees is discussed using these themes, in relation to the literature. Specific unmet needs of the practitioners are identified. Major findings were that although counsellors with a Christian faith generally agree with the concept of their spirituality being an integral part of their work, there is variation in the level of attention paid to this. The availability of support for this integration is often problematic. Most counsellors desired more ‘safe space’ to explore the issue. Following the heuristic process, a model linking the psychological and spiritual perspectives emerged. This has enabled the researcher to further reflect on her own integration journey. It has since been used in workshops to facilitate other practitioners in reflecting on their individual integration. Recommendations for further research are made. The limitations of the research are noted.

It has already been established that animals have various constitutional effects on humans and influence quality of life and well-being in various ways (see Nestmann 2005). For a lot of people in all stages of their life, pets are important sources of support. They are able to contribute to our health as well as to buffer stress and illness. Especially elderly and frail people take profit from the human animal bond. Pets may be seen as important agents in support and therapy of people with dementia. Besides offering emotional support in times of struggle and loneliness, pets can even have a healing influence in situations of physical or mental illness. Since the 1960s animals have been used in professional and therapeutic settings. Even retirement and nursing homes experience the psychosocial benefits of animal assisted activities and integrate animals successfully in the daily routine of the residents. The longitudinal field study “Animals at the Johanniter-Stift Nursing Home” is the first to investigate the effects of animal assisted activities on the quality of life and well-being of elderly nursing home patients with dementia. In order to systematically establish the extent to which various forms of regular contact with animals can benefit such patients, psychological and social changes in patients with and without contact to animals were examined at three intervals over a three-year period, using research instruments such as non-participant observation (MTU), questionnaires completed by nursing staff (FSAK; NPI) as well as interviews with the nursing staff to examine the human-animal-contacts between the residents and the animals in the daily routine. The study demonstrates that elderly dementia sufferers with regular contact to animals tend to show greater agility, independence, strength of social network and communication abilities compared to those without contact to animals. The study shows the psychosocial effects and the options of animal assisted activities with and care of elderly people suffering from dementia as an alternative to pharmacological treatment.

As no known research has been done on Satir brief therapy in a maternity setting, an exploratory design using the case study method was used to assess whether women in a maternity hospital experience this form of therapy as beneficial. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a sample of five patients for this study. Therapeutic sessions were held with these women during their stay in hospital, and follow up sessions with four of the five women were held once they had been discharged home to evaluate their experience of the therapy. The fifth woman could not be reached after her discharge from hospital. The results indicate that the use of Satir brief therapy supports the research question and that it can therefore be used to address the psychological and social issues which can affect the mother baby dyad, thus promoting healthy mother - baby bonding. / Social Work / M.A.(Social Science)

Text in Afrikaans / Every person yearns to function as an independent and integrated human being who experiences inner peace and wholeness. The search for a way of life that leads to wisdom and life knowledge has continued through the centuries and according to Hancock (2005:8) it began as early as 40 000 years ago. This research study takes up this search, describing human wholeness from a spiritual, philosophical and psychological perspective, in the context of specific essential characteristics. Together with this, applicable therapeutic approaches were researched to structure an intervention model to achieve wholeness. Wholeness therapy is an eclectic approach based on medical hypnoanalysis with added aspects of the rational-emotive behavioural therapy of Albert Ellis, choice theory of William Glasser and Victor Frankl’s logotherapy. By means of qualitative research a case study from a psychological practice was described, in which a person was enabled to experience wholeness through wholeness therapy which is described in full. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde))