Ripley's game: Projective identification, emotional engagement, and the counselling psychologist

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ripley's game:

T2 - Projective identification, emotional engagement, and the counselling psychologist

AU - Rizq, Rosemary

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Counselling psychology's dual emphasis on the use of the self as both vehicle of therapeutic change and legitimate focus of inquiry and research is one of the features by which the profession may be distinguished from related fields such as clinical psychology or psychotherapy. This paper discusses the relevance of the psychoanalytic concept of projective identification in understanding the extent, nature and subtlety of the ways in which the therapist's ‘self’ and emotions may be deployed within the therapeutic relationship. Illustrated with reference to the film ‘Ripley's Game’ and a clinical case vignette, Searles's (1978) advocacy of ‘a richness of emotional participation’ within clinical work is discussed in relation to the pluralist philosophy of counselling psychology; implications for the training and personal development of counselling psychologists are also briefly explored.© 2005, The British Psychological Society. This is an author produced version of a paper uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online at the link below. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

AB - Counselling psychology's dual emphasis on the use of the self as both vehicle of therapeutic change and legitimate focus of inquiry and research is one of the features by which the profession may be distinguished from related fields such as clinical psychology or psychotherapy. This paper discusses the relevance of the psychoanalytic concept of projective identification in understanding the extent, nature and subtlety of the ways in which the therapist's ‘self’ and emotions may be deployed within the therapeutic relationship. Illustrated with reference to the film ‘Ripley's Game’ and a clinical case vignette, Searles's (1978) advocacy of ‘a richness of emotional participation’ within clinical work is discussed in relation to the pluralist philosophy of counselling psychology; implications for the training and personal development of counselling psychologists are also briefly explored.© 2005, The British Psychological Society. This is an author produced version of a paper uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online at the link below. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

U2 - 10.1348/147608305X42703

DO - 10.1348/147608305X42703

M3 - Article

SN - 1476-0835

VL - 78

SP - 449

EP - 464

JO - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice

JF - Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice

ER -