Re: Any room for genetic exploration?

Jim Pretzer shared an article by Carl Sherman which indicated the need to explore historical material for clients with personality disorders. I found an interesting quote "If transference, countertransference and historical material sound more like psychodynamic therapy than standard CT, a key distinction must be kept in mind. We observe the same phenomena. But the analytic framework decree that these phenomenon are driven by unconscious forces...while we believe there's more on the surface than meets the eye."
I agree with this and think that the phenomenon of defense mechanisms (since I don't know much about psychoanalytic theory, this is the only term I can think of at the moment) can be reintegrated into CT by use of Jeff Young's schema compensation. By teaching the client the mechanisms of schema maintenance, schema avoidance and schema compensation, we can make these mechanisms available for understanding and modification.
For example, I work with both battered women and batterers (separately). One could look at both populations as developing an abandonment schema through early childhood experiences. But one group-the battered women used a coping style of schema maintenance while the batterer's use the coping style of schema compensation.

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Re: Any room for genetic exploration?, by Jordi Cid, 2/14/00

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