Naslov
Dreams of deceased children and countertransference in the group psychotherapy of bereved mothers: clinical illustration

Autori
Begovac, Branka ; Begovac, Ivan

Izvornik
Death studies (0748-1187) 36 (2012), 8; 723-741

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
dreams; bereavement; psychotherapy; countertransference

Sažetak
This article presents, in the form of a clinical illustration, a therapeutic group of bereaved mothers with special reference to their dreams about their deceased children. The article presents descriptions of the emotions of these mothers and countertransference feelings, a topic that, to our knowledge, has not been frequently studied. The group was small, analytically oriented, slow-open, comprised of women bereaved by the death of a child, and conducted by a female therapist. Over more than three years, the group included 20 members in total. This article describes a number of dreams recorded during a period when the group included seven members. Dreams helped the group members access their emotional pain, helplessness, yearning for a relationship with the deceased, guilt, and feelings of survival guilt. The transference-countertransference relationshios were characterized by holding. Countertransference feeling of helplessness predominated. The therapist and the group as a whole contained various emotions, allowing the group members to return to the normal mourning process from the parallel encouragement of group development and interpersonal relationships.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti, Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita, Psihologija

POVEZANOST RADA