Abstract
When the focus of the child treatment is on the therapist being a “good” object, this can accentuate a possible countertransference difficulty of the therapist becoming the protector of the child from the “bad” object. This countertransference can often resonate with rescue fantasies in the child. This paper will explore the topic of rescue fantasies in child treatment, while addressing the issue of coinciding fantasies existing unconsciously in both the therapist and child, leading to their enactment. A case of a nine-year old boy is presented which demonstrates how interpretation and resolution of rescue fantasies can lead to a deepening of the treatment.
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Malawista, K.L. Rescue Fantasies in Child Therapy: Countertransference/Transference Enactments. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 21, 373–386 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CASW.0000035222.16367.32
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CASW.0000035222.16367.32