Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
11:30
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection
Published on: August 26, 2011
9.6K
Personal disclosure revisited.
1New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.
Summary
Therapist personal disclosure, when used intentionally, enhances patient self-discovery and therapeutic growth. It is distinct from boundary violations, focusing on patient processing rather than therapist gratification.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Psychoanalysis
Background:
- The therapeutic relationship is viewed as a dyad where therapist and patient realities interact.
- Past life experiences are resolved within the context of the current interpersonal therapeutic experience.
Observation:
- Personal disclosure involves a therapist consciously sharing a personal vignette with dynamic formulation.
- This sharing aims to provoke patient conceptualization and influence the intersubjective field.
Findings:
- Therapist personal disclosure, when used appropriately, reaffirms patient self-discovery.
- It provides a different formative experience for the patient within therapy.
- Disclosure is not for therapist gratification or conflict resolution.
Implications:
- Appropriate personal disclosure enhances the patient's therapeutic process.
- It contributes to the therapist's ongoing professional growth.
- This technique, when ethically applied, deepens the therapeutic alliance.
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