On being seen as a "Chinese therapist" by a Caucasian child

Reactions of ten-year-old Caucasian boy to his Chinese therapist, and his use of this racial difference to express his acute alienation, are described. Stages include the boy's initial projection of aggression and evil onto the "Chinks," subsequent ambivalence and anxiety as attachment to the therapist increased, and eventual trust and alleviation of his loneliness. Aspects of the therapist's countertransference are explored.