Question 1
This client has been accused of being domestically and sexually violent but vehemently denies it. This client is also very persuasive and prides himself on being assertive
Question 2
I began dreading client appointments and began losing sleep the night before sessions
Question 3
My reactions inhibited empathy for him and caused me to struggle with unconditional positive regard
Question 4
It was definitely greatly impacted by my own history of being abused
Question 5
I do not think disclosing the countertransference issue directly would be beneficial for the client. However, I think getting more support for processing my own reaction would help me to be more empathic and regain my unconditional positive regard for the client. So I think the plan would be to get increased supervision, increased self care, my own therapy if needed, and transfer the client if this wasn’t successful
Question 6
I would know I needed my own therapist if my countertransference reactions were impairing my life- affecting sleep, interpersonal relationships, etc.
Question 7
I would do so by coming at the conversation from a place of empathy and gently point our discrepancy between the clinician’s desire to have unconditional positive regard and inability to do so due to current struggles