Countertransference considerations for the gay male when leading psychotherapy groups for gay men. 1998

J C Frost
Beth Israel Hospital, USA.

During the last decade we have seen the development of gay-affirmative psychotherapy and an increase in the use of homogeneous psychotherapy groups for gay men. Today there is greater acceptance that homosexuality is a normal variant within human sexuality and that being gay both describes the focus of one's sexual and emotional expression and constitutes a central aspect of one's core identity. In their pursuit of full acceptance of their lesbian or gay identity, lesbians and gay men continue to experience pressures that are unique, however. Within a psychotherapy group, when the group leader is gay, the process by which the group members work on their transference reactions, as well as their internalized homophobia and shame, can evoke strong countertransference in the gay male group leader and his supervisor; this countertransference is at times distinctly different than that with a nongay group therapist. This article highlights many countertransference themes in such groups and proposes ways to identify and manage these themes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007857 Leadership The function of directing or controlling the actions or attitudes of an individual or group with more or less willing acquiescence of the followers. Influentials
D008297 Male Males
D011615 Psychotherapy, Group A form of therapy in which two or more patients participate under the guidance of one or more psychotherapists for the purpose of treating emotional disturbances, social maladjustments, and psychotic states. Group Therapy,Group Psychotherapy,Therapy, Group
D003379 Countertransference Conscious or unconscious emotional reaction of the therapist to the patient which may interfere with treatment. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed.) Countertransference, Psychology
D005783 Gender Identity A person's concept of self as being male and masculine or female and feminine, or ambivalent, based in part on physical characteristics, parental responses, and psychological and social pressures. It is the internal experience of gender role. Gender,Gender Identities,Identity, Gender
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014167 Transference, Psychology The unconscious transfer to others (including psychotherapists) of feelings and attitudes which were originally associated with important figures (parents, siblings, etc.) in one's early life. Psychological Transference,Transference (Psychology),Psychological Transferences,Psychology Transference,Psychology Transferences,Transference, Psychological,Transferences (Psychology),Transferences, Psychological,Transferences, Psychology
D018451 Homosexuality, Male Sexual attraction or relationship between males. Male Homosexuality

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