At the invitation of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy–Hawaii: I had the pleasure of being the keynote speaker and presenter at the 2013 Maui Annual MFT Conference. My address, “Developing the Art of Psychotherapy” focused on the personal work of the therapist to explore and transform the counter-transference material between themselves and client with a specific focus on patterns of co-dependency, enmeshment and caretaking. The literature refers to enmeshment and co dependence as the ‘Common Cold’ of human conditions and is a frequently occurring unconscious trap for a helper. Through the personal work of the therapist to heal and transform their counter-transference, the art of psychotherapy is enhanced.
Counter-transference refers to the therapist’s personal reactions to client material that if not consciously dealt with, interfere and block the ability of the therapist to help the client move beyond their obstacles.