THERAPIST'S ENCOUNTERS WITH REVENG / Edition 1

by Mary Sherrill Durham

Overview

At some level, most patients who are undergoing therapy have issues of revenge and forgiveness to contend with. Mary Sherrill Durham explores the concepts of vengeance, revenge fantasies, and the granting or withholding of forgiveness, as they are manifested to the therapist during treatment. She argues that revenge is usually expressed in one of two ways, and categorizes patients accordingly into two archetypes. The ‘Exploited - Repressive Individual' is anxious and depressed, and during therapy wishes to retaliate against a parent who has used him or her in an inappropriate and self-serving manner. The ‘Vindictive Character', on the other hand, has usually been more openly rejected or manipulated and may well suffer from a personality disorder. This character is more likely to act out his or her rage than repress it. Identifying a renewed interest in the topic of forgiveness, the author takes a pragmatic view of its potential for healing and closure, and examines our ambivalent relationship to it.
Mary Sherrill Durham draws on her extensive clinical experience to illustrate her arguments, and relates them to society in general. She devotes separate chapters to revenge and forgiveness as they are expressed by children and adolescents, and by offenders. She also examines potential for the therapist/patient relationship to become a re-enactment of an abusive or controlling situation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781853028151
Publisher:	Kingsley, Jessica Publishers
Publication date:	01/01/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.09(h) x 0.39(d)

About the Author

Mary Sherrill Durham is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Arlington, Virginia and lives there with her husband. She is a participant in the New Directions programme of the Washington Psychoanalytic Foundation, examining the various theoretical and clinical propositions in the field, and actively participates as a volunteer in such organizations as Head Start and the Disaster Mental Health Services of the American Red Cross.

Table of Contents

Introduction. 1. The ExploitedRepressive Patient. 2. The Vindictive Character. 3. Forgiveness. 4. Encounters with Revenge in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. 5. The Therapist's Encounters within the Legal System. Conclusions. References. Index.

Editorial Reviews

Explores concepts of vengeance, revenge fantasies, and the granting or withholding of forgiveness as they are manifested to the therapist during treatment. Argues that revenge is usually expressed in one of two ways, and categorizes patients into two archetypes: the Exploited- Repressive Individual and the Vindictive Character. Includes separate chapters on revenge and forgiveness as they are expressed by children and adolescents, and by offenders. The author is a clinical psychologist in private practice. Distributed by Taylor & Francis. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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