WS13 – Dealing with Projective Identification in Couple Therapy: The PACT Approach
Location: Regency Ballroom
Difficulty: All Levels
This two-hour workshop deals solely with the matter of projective identification (PI) as experienced in couple therapy. PI is perhaps one of the least talked about and most problematic issue in all modalities of psychotherapy. PI is also one of the most effective tools therapists can use to discover implicit information about the couple and accelerate the therapy forward. Therapists will commonly confront one partner without realizing they are being pointed there by the other partner. Therapists may experience feelings of anger, boredom, anxiety, fear, depression, and erotic thoughts and fantasies due to PI unrealized. Attendees will learn how to become aware of this non-conscious process of communication and defense employed by all couples at some point. Through demonstration and video presentation, attendees will also learn what to do about PI – which strategic interventions will work and how to evaluate their effectiveness.
Educational Objectives:
- Describe why you’ve chosen which partner to be more likely to be using projective identification at any given time
- Differentiate and describe the difference between projective identification and other forms of countertransference
- Describe raw thought, fantasies, urges, and feelings as a means for constructing an effective intervention
- Demonstrate understanding of crossing techniques for rooting out implicitly communicated material