On knowing the therapist "as a person"

The point of departure for this paper is the oft-stated complaint by some patients as well as by some therapists that it is very difficult to know the psychoanalytic therapist "as a person." This complaint reflects the view that psychoanalytic psychotherapists are generally impersonal and cold as a function of their therortical orientation. However, numerous opportunities exist in psychoanalytic psychotherapy treatment situations for patients to be aware of a variety of authentic facets of therapists' personalities. Knowledge of, and reactions to, these facets are an important dimension of psychotherapy, in part because the therapist's personality inevitably colors the nature of the treatment. A patient's reaction to the real components of his therapist may be interwoven with his transference reactions. A case example shows how awareness of the patient's conflict about his knowledge of his therapist signified a major turning point in his therapy.