Dissociation among Psychoanalysts about Sexual Boundary Violations

Abstract

The official condemnation of all sexual contact between psychotherapists and patients can be called the “absolutist position.” Some therapists harbor private views that differ from the absolutist position, such as the view that such relations may be more acceptable if they lead to a happy marriage, the “relativist position” or the “empathic-sentimental” position. A few clinicians have condoned such relationships, claiming that they are helpful to patients at least half the time, which is not supported by research. Mending the disconnection among public, private, and unconscious views may lead to more consistent and fair handling of sexual boundary violations.