T03-O-13 Sex therapist and patient shared fantasy: ethical consideration about the inner and the outer dialogue

Abstract

This study is based on video recorded superviaion of Sex Therapy, geared to depict inner and outer dialogue gaps. Gaps stem from the ability or inabilty of the therapist to identify the mode by which sexual fantasies about the patient are controlled, and the level of sexuality the therapist attributes to the patient. The data suggests: 1. Situations where the discripant between what is been expressed verbally and nonverbally by the therapist serves to protect the patient. 2. It pinpoints conditions by which the incongruent message reflecting the therapist's discomfort, evokes subtle emotional violation of ethical and professional behavior. The physical red line that should not be crossed between therapist and patient is set up clearly. The paper discusses and postulates a sort of ethical violations that are subtle within the grey area. Being constructed of subtle nature, the therapist might not be aware of the Blind Spots or the hidden agenda, reflected in the therapeutic relations. Sex Therapy sessions invite overt and covert eroticism and fantasies. It is processed throughout the erotic transference and counter transference. This might lead towards a sexual loaded interaction. The therapist paramount ability and responsibility to control the loaded situation goes beyond saying. Therapists are expected to listen to their inner dialogue, acknowledge and legitimate her/his attributions and fantasies about the patient. At the same time the therapist should be abale to process an outer dialogue which maintain ethical standards and patient's safegurd. Such pitfalls are clinically demonstrated along the the discussion of the theortical concept.