In episode 53 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Ken and Rory provide tips on journal-writing. ‘Theory with Rory’ looks at self-object and self-object transference (from the self-psychology movement). Finally, the presenters discuss the phenomenon of collective grief.
As counsellors, we offer clients empathy, sitting with them as they share their deepest emotions. To do this sensitively and safely, we need to have a good understanding of our own emotions. Writing a journal can help us with this process.
Ken and Rory share a number of key points on journaling:
Rory has produced a video on different models of reflective writing.
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The self-psychology movement was popular in the US in the 1960s, led by Austrian-American psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut. His techniques were used in treating narcissistic personality disorder.
‘Self-object transference’ refers to the idea that an individual can introject by transference another person’s self-regulation and emotional stability – and then use this to self-soothe at times when that other person is not available. Rory talks to Bob Cooke of the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy about this concept.
Bob explains self-object transference, which comes from the object relations movement. He describes how infants start to separate from their primary caregiver during the separation-individuation phase of development. During this, they internalise the mother; this then provides consistency over time, particularly when they are under stress. However, negative self-objects as well as positive ones can be internalised; these then have a negative effect on the youngster.
This idea can be extended to the client-therapist relationship: clients can learn to self-regulate and self-heal by being in the company of someone who is emotionally stable and grounded. This can also be referred to as therapist ‘modelling’ – an idea that appears too in Petruska Clarkson’s five-relationship model, where it is known as ‘reparenting’.
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This topic is just part of two full-length lectures on grief delivered recently by Rory in the Counselling Study Resource (where you can get a two-hour CPD certificate after listening to these).
Ken and Rory reflect on various examples of collective grief in the UK – for example, the recent Manchester Arena bombing, the Brexit referendum last year, and (back in 1995) the death of Princess Diana.
Collective grief is a sociological phenomenon that is important to recognise. It is not unusual for collective grief to be used as a conduit for other (unresolved) grief. As a therapist, these are things to look out for. If a client is affected by collective grief that has not impacted you, do be thoughtful.
Object and Object Transference – The Work of Heinz Kohut