transfer prema krataksadria]: nemom i verbalno ......fantaziranoj (u fazi cutanja) ili percipira noj...
TRANSCRIPT
TRANSFER PREMANEMOM I VERBALNOAKTIVNOMOBSERVERU
Lelica KosticPetar Opoli:
Institut za mentalno zdravlje, Beograd
Kratak sadria]: U dye grupe neuroticnih studenata utvrdivana su transfema dozivljavanja clanova premaopserveru (zeni) u zavisnost~ od njene v~rb~lne aktivnosti. U prvoj fazi (6 seansi) observer je c~tao, a udrugoj (sledecih 6 seansi) je bio verbal~o ak~Ivan ..Pored metoda saucestvujuceg posmatranja, pnmenJenaje i analiza sadrZaj~ protokol~ sa ~e~s~ iz
v
ispitivanogperioda. Na primenma reakcija pojedinih clanova grupe na opservera u fazi cutanja i fazi njegove verbalneaktivnosti pokazane su (ugla~n?~ nesve~n~). ve~~ sanegativnim iii pozitivnim dozivljajem ~n~~aJmh hc?,osti (pre svega majke, pa sestre i oca). IZ .zIvota pacijenata. Zakljuceno je da se verbalno aktivni opserv:er dozivljava prijatnije. Uocili smo da)e pro~en~.pa~lVneuaktivnu ulogu opservera pospesI1a.projekcije cla~ove
grupe na odnos izmedu terapeuta 1 opservera. Pri tome naknadni verbalni angazman ranije nemog opservera ubrzava obrade neprijatnih osecanja vezanih zapasivnu ulogu clanova grupe .i.Ii znacaj!1ih fig~r~ iz njihovog zivota u pretezno patrijarhalnoj porodici.
Kljuene reii: transfer, (cuteci i verbalno aktivni) opserver u ter. grupi, neuroticni studenti, analiza sadrzaja.
Uvod
Stavovi a uticaju opservera na sadrzaje iprocese u grupnoj psihoterapiji se koncentrisu aka misljenja da prisustvo opservera,bez obzira na nacin i cilj posmatranja, prilicno usloznjava odnose u grupi. Ovo vazi,bilo da se opserver procenjuje kao onaj koga clanovi dozivljavaju kao lice koje ugrozava njihovu intimnost, (1) bilo da uvodenje opservera u grupu predstavlja opterecenje za terapeuta, (2) ili da terapeut dozivljava da je ad strane opservera kontrolisan. (3) Verovatno su najblize istini a uticaju opservera na grupnu dinamiku ani (4)koji tvrde, da i opserver i terapeut treba daispune odredene preduslove da prisustvoposmatraca u grupi ne bi ometalo terapiju.
Razlicita su iskustva zapazanja i a tome staje odlucujuci cinilac opserviranja. Da li je tovrsta opserviranja (iza jednosmernog ogledala, sedenjem izvan kruga Hi u samomkrugu pacijenata), da li sa ili bez aktivnogucesca opservera, ili je u pitanju neki drugicinilac, tesko je dati jednostavan odgovor.
Sto se rice uloge opservera u grupi koji cuti,smatra se da nemi opserver uvucen u grup-ni proces, nastoji da neverbalne komunikacije svede na minimum (5) ida se on osecaneprestano, vise Hi manje, frustriranim iizoliranim. Pri tome maze da reaguje, kakozakljucuju neki autori, (6) na dva nacina,prvo, da za vreme seanse komunicira sagrupom neverbalno a posle seanse verbal-no, ili da kao saveznik terapeuta oponasavoditelja grupe, neretko preterano se identifikujuci sa njim. Cuteci opserver u ulozikatalizatora grupnog procesa omogucavada se ublazi, a mazda i ukloni, dozivljaj terapeuta kao svernocnog lica, vezuci za sebe,kako pisu Cappiello, Zanusi, Fiumara, (7) 'f'
Ifantazije Super ega odnosno arhetip Senke. r<)
d O'Njemu nairne, clanovi grupe mogu a Cine gono, istina vise u masti nego u realnosti, ~
Nsto ne bi smeli da rade terapeutu, N
~Neki autori (8) isticu povoljne efekte pri- ~
sustva cuteceg opservera (umanjenje rizi- ~
ka izolacije pacijenata ad osoblja ustano- UJ
ve, povecanje efikasnosti clanova terapijskog tima, bolja dijagnosticka evaluacija 59
Ideja za pisanje ovog rada dosla je iz visegodisnjeg iskustva u vodenju grupa neuroticnih, psihoticnih ,i granicnih pacijena-
pacijenata, smanjenje verovatnoce psihotickih ispada). Drugi terapeuti (9) suskloni da zapazaju negativne efekte pas ivnog opserviranja, kao sto je jacanje otporaprovociranjem osecanja samilosti za nemog opservera. Treci (10) zapazaju kao reakciju na nemog opservera povlacenje clanova grupe i porast zahteva pacijenata zaindividualnim seansama, odnosno dozivljajclanova grupe da se u grupi pojavio neko koje bliskiji terapeutu nego oni. (11) Najzad,neki medu autorima (12) koji su se baviIiovim pitanjem kornentarisu da se nemiopserver i terapeut pre medusobno identifikuju, ili cak simbiotski vezu, nasuprotpojedinim clanovima iIi grupi u celini.
Sto se rice transfernog dozivljaja opservera, prirneceno je da on tokom prvih seansipostaje objekt projekcija (primitivnog Super ega ponajvise), predmet transferiranja,bratskog rivaliziranja ili edipalne intra-psihicke problematike, sto donekle moze daometa terapijski proces. Opserver je dakle,pogodan objekt za pomeranje negativnihosecanja sa terapeuta na njega, kako zapazaju jedni (13), odnosno dobro-dosao psiholoski medijator u analizi otpora, kakoisticu drugi autori (14).
Vecina autora je saglasna u tome, da zakljucimo, da je verbalna aktivnost pozeljniji oblik opserviranja, jer se tako uvecavaju znacenja, uloge i situacije u kojima onmoze da postane, koliko objekt transferiranja toliko aktivni saucesnik terapijskihprocesa u grupi. Vezivanjem negativnihosecanja za sebe on pospesuje smanjenje
'T napetosti u grupi.I
M
0'oo
S- Opis grupe i grupnog radai i metoda istrazivanja
dCJZI..Ll
60
ta, jednako u dispanzerskim kao i stacionarnim uslovima njenih autora. Pri tom suoni stekli iskustvo i u opserviranju kao ivodenju grupe sa i bez opservera. Opredelili smo se za analizu ovog problema namaterijalu iz dye grupe neuroticnih studenata, koje je vodio drugi odnosno opservirao prvi od autora ovog rada. Terapijskegrupe su bile slow open i funcionisale su uStudentskom savetovalistu Instituta zamentalno zdavlje u Beogradu u sastavu odoko 10 clanova. Sastajale su se jedanputnedeljno po 90 min. Inace su vodene nanacelima egzistencijal-analiticke psihoterapije. (15) Pacijenti su na grupnoj psihoterapiji proveli u proseku dye godine samalim stepenom izostanaka i drop-outa.Neki od njih su primali i medika-rnentoznu terapiju (vrlo male doze sedativa iIiantidepresiva), koje bi terapeut ordiniraoposle sastanka grupe. Studenti, clanovigrupe poticali su u pravilu iz unutrasnjostiSrbije sa razlicitih fakulteta. Bili su tougIavnom studenti sa zavrsnih godina studija i to pretezno Sumarskog i Poljoprivrednog fakulteta. Zastupljenost po polubila je ujednacena.
Sve seanse ispitivane terapijske grupe snimane su na zvucne trake, a zatim in extenso prekucavane. Ovaj pismeni materijal, ustvari protokoli seansi, sa prosecno 20 stranica kucanog teksta srednjeg proreda, sluzio je kao grada za naknadnu (godinu danadocnije) primenu metoda analize sadrzaja,koja nam je posluzila da sistematizujemoodnosno objektivizujemo nasa terapijskaiskustva. Kad je rec 0 metodu istrazivanja,pomenimo i to da je, bez sumnje indirektno koristen i metod saucestvujuceg posrnatraca oba autora, jednako u ulozi terapeuta, kao i u poziciji opservera.
Celokupna iskustvena grada obradivana jeodnosno komentarisana sa psiho-dinarn-
skog stanovista, koje je teorijski i prakticno vrlo blisko egzistencijal-analitickornpristupu voditelja grupe.
Primeri i analiza transferailanova grupe prema nemomi verbalno-aktivnom opserveru
Godinu dana po zavrsetku grupe pristupilismo analizi sadrzaja grupnih protokolakoji su se odnosili na sve verbalne sadrzajeseansi, ukljucujuci i krupne neverbalnedogadaje na grupi (kao sto je kasnjenje,napustanje sastanaka, promena u nacinusedenja, ekstremne varijaeije u nacinu pricanja i s1.). Na osnovu utisaka iz tako sisternatski provedenog istrazivanja i naravno, primenom psiho-analiticke teorijskeparadigme, izdvojicemo one primere kojiilustruju prirodu transferne relacije pojedinih clanova naspram opserveru uopste,odnosno prema njegovom cutanju, verbalnoj aktivnosti i njegovom odnosu prematerapeutu, drugim recima, prema njegovojfantaziranoj (u fazi cutanja) ili percipiranoj (u fazi verbalne aktivnosti) terapijskojulozi. Isto tako ilustrovacemo rezultatezapazanja u promeni tzv. preterepijskogtransfera, (11) vise prisutnog na pocetkugrupnog rada i u fazi cutanja opservera, urazne oblike tzv. terapijskog transfera.
Prvi primer tice se [evan-e. Na sedmojseansi, prvoj nakon verbalnog ukljucivanjaopservera [ovan pokusava da uspostaviprisniji kontakt sa opserverom, trazeci dozvolu za neformalan odnos sa njim. Inicijator njegove psihoterapije je bila majka.Po svemu sudeci, on je svoje otpore premapsihoterapiji i donekle ambivalentna osecanja prema majei, pomerio ili eventualnoprojektovao na opservera, koji je uz sve,ostao za njega autoritet od kojeg ocekujepomoc. Evo tog dela seanse koji to ilustruje.
jovan: Zasto se koleginica ne ukljuci u raz
govor?
Terapeut: Ona ima takav stay da je u pocetku cutala.
Opserver: Imate komentar na racun mogacutanja?
[ovan: Da se malo ukljucite, pomognetesvojim razgovorom.
Opserver: Sta Vi osecate dok ja cutim?
[ovan: Kao da ste malo suvisni, jednomrecju, da ste malo ukljuceni.
U istoj grupi najstariji clan je bila Vera, cijisu se roditelji razveli kada je ona bila dete.Zivela je sa majkom i bakom po majci.Njeni unutrasnji sadrzaji bili su, izmeduostalog, osecanje da »nikome ne pripada- i»da je niko nece, jer joj nesto fali«. U realnosti otac ju odista nije prihvatao. Do majcine smrti nije ju uopste posecivao.
Prisustvo opservera Vera dozivljava konstantno neprijatno, a narocito kada on cuti.Sebe dozivljava kao da je u izlogu. Za opservera We: »Srneta mi jer se ponasa zvanicno«. Ocigledno da je Vera prenela na opservera osecanja vezana za majku, koju opisuje kao hladnu, nezainteresovanu za njenesustinske zelje i potrebe, kao osobu kojaocekuje od nje sarno korektno ponasanje.
Sledeci primer tice se specificnog reagovanja na cutanje opservera. Sonja je pacijentkinja sa Poljoprivrednog fakulteta kojaje rano ostala bez majke. Zivela je sa ma- Tcehom, oeem i sestrom po majci. Bila je ("/')
8cutljiva i povucena sa osecanjem odbace- gnosti. Na pitanje vezano za dozivlja] op- ~
N
servera, Sonja je odgovorila, da opserver N
~utice na njeno ponasanje u grupi: »Ose- ~
cam se nesigurno kad me posmatra, a cu- oti«. Cutanje opservera opisuje i kao nepri- @jatno u paranoidnom smislu: »Osecam sekao zamorce«, mada ga ponekad i ne pri- 61
NN
mecuje. Tako na drugo pitanje 0 dofivljajuopservera odgovara: »Na trenutak zaboravim na opservera«. Njena procena opservera tokom grupne psihoterapije se naizgled ne menja, isticuci na kraju rada grupeda joj smeta njegovo cutanje, stirn da segubi paranoidni karakter dczivljaja (Onvise ne utice na njen nacin ponasanja).Nakon verbalnog aktiviranja opservera Sonjin dozivljaj opserviranja se dakle menjaod vise ka manje neprijatnom. ana nudi iobjasnjenje svog dozivljaja nemog opservera. On je nairne, podseca na njeno cutanje u drustvu. Kako rece, »Dobro zna koliko cutanje moze biti neprijatno«. Po svemu sudeci Sonja se u grupi istovremenoidentifikovala sa nemim opserverom, takoda je cutanje u grupi podsetilo na njenocutanje posle porodicnih svada kojima jeranije bila svedok.
Darinka, sledeci primer, drugacije dozivljava cutanje opservera. Ona povremenismesak opservera dozivljava kao njegovoukljucivanje u grupu. Nemog opserveradozivljava kao pasivnog. Na direktno pitanje, kako je dozivela opservera, odgovorilaje da je prisustvo opservera osecala neprijatno, jednako kao i njegovo cutanje. Medutim, dodala je, da joj »posebno odgovaraprijatan osmeh opservera« odnosno »njegOY prijatan pogled«. avo se rnoze objasniti njenom senzibilnoscu (koja proizilazidelom i iz depresivnosti) za neverbalneporuke. Darinkin odnos prema opserveruima uz to izvesne elemente pozitivnogtransfera. Majka, 0 kojoj je Darinka govorila sa puno topline i razumevanja, bila jeu odnosu na oca pasivna i cutke je podno-
§' sila maltretiranje s njegove strane. Darin§, kini odnosi sa sestrom su takode bili do
brio Iz ovog razloga i dob i pol opservera:E- procenjuje pozitivno, tj, dopada joj se sto~ je »malo starija od nje, kao i njena sestra«.~ Sve u svemu prisustvo opservera na kraju
rada grupe dozivljava »oslobadajuce«. Sa
62
druge strane njen odnos prema ocu je biopun otpora. Dozivljavala ga je kao agresivnog, u cemu je bilo realne osnove, jer jeovaj tukao majku. jednom je pred decompokusao i da ubije njihovu majku. Uvek jeimala teske snove, a u njima je retko sanjala oca ili ga je sanjala u slikama pretecihfigura (konji i s1.). Tek tokom grupne psihoterapije sanja neposredno i oca i to upozitivnom svetlu. Otac joj u jednom snusa kraja terapije »poklanja vucica« i prviput nije preteca figura. Opservera i vodugrupe dozivljavala je i kao roditeljski par.Transferirala je naime, model dominantnog oca (na terapeuta) i pasivne majke(na cutljivog opservera). Postojeci odnosizmedu terapeuta (u aktivnoj) i opservera(u pasivnoj ulozi) pomogao joj je da obradi neka svoja neprijatna osecanja premaroditeljima, sto je bilo vidljivo i iz njenogverbalnog saopstavanja u grupi. Radilo seo teskim svadama roditelja u kojima jemajka, po rezonima crnogorske patrijarhalne porodice, stoicki podnosila psihickoi fizicko maltretiranje od strane oca, paterfamiliasa. Pri tome je potpuno zanemarilada zastiti cerke, svesno ih sprernajuci zaulogu onog ko treba da slusa i trpi.
Dozivljaj opservera i promenu njegovogponasanja komentarisali su i clanovi grupei sasvim neposredno. Navescemo odlomaksa jednog sastanka iz faze verbalne aktivnosti opservera, pri kraju rada grupe kojise odnosi na to, ilustrujuci, uz ostalo, ipromene u transfernom dozivljaju opservera nekih clanova:
Darinka: Doktorka (opserver) se dostaukljucivala, Dosta je pricala.
Mihajlo: Mislim da je doktorka sada slobodnija.
Terapeut: Kako Sonja to dozivljava?
Sonja: Cutanje doktorke me je stalno podsecalo na mene kada sam u drustvu. Tek
tada sam uvidela kako je to strasno neprijatno.
Terapeut: Za druge?
Sonja: Drustvo mi je cesto zameralo. Govorili su: »Sto cutis? Ti nisi uopste sa nama. Rekla sam: »Pustite me na rniru, ja setako najbolje osecam«. Sad sam shvatilakako je to neprijatno. Moze to neko dashvati i kao uobrazenost, Da necu da sespustim na njihov nivo, ili suprotno, ilinekako drugacije. Uglavnom, to cutanje jeneprijatno. Kasnije ukljucivanjem observera u razgovor atmosfera je bila drugacija, bolja. Prijalo mi je, bilo da je to strucnjak ili neko ko ima vise iskustva.
Terapeut: Vi kao da ste videli sebe u njoj ito ocima drugog... Mi ne znamo sta se desava u osobi koja cuti. Tako lako mozemoda konstruiserno predstave 0 osobi kojacuti. Sta Vi mislite? (obraca se Mariji)?
Marija: (obraca se doktorki): Bas sam sepitala zasto cutite sve vreme. Sledeci putmi je bilo malo neprijatno to Vase cutanje.Volela bih da znam sta mislite 0 onom stose govori.
Sonja: Ako neko stalno cuti, razrnisljassta misli, pa onda, zasto cuti?
Terapeut: A misli mozda lose?
Darinka: Tako nekako.
Marija: Uopste one sto smo raspravljali?Svakako je interesantno cuti misljenje nekoga ko posmatra sa strane. Ucestvovati urazgovoru i posmatrati sa strane, po menito nije bas potpuno isto.
Opserver: Da li ste imali neku asocijacijukao Sonja?
Marija: Meni su interesantna Vasa turnacenja nekih stvari. Rekla sam to i Darinki.
Darinka: ]a sam sarno jednom bila kad jeopserver cutao. Kasnije sam primetila danije uopste komentarisala. Vi ste se smeskali pa to uopste nisam dozivljavala kao
cutanje. Bilo je to ukljucivanje u razgovorsa smeskorn. Nisam to dozivela kao Vasupasivnost niti kao posmatranje:
Opserver: Vi ste napravili kontakt koji nijebio uspostavljen reCima?
Darinka: Da.
Sonja: Doktorka je cutala, a ja sam se osecala kao da mi neko stoji nad glavom, dame posmatra. Nisam mogla dakazem nione sto sam htela. Bilo je neprijatno. Prvisastanak je bio takav. A, na drugom sam senavikla. Nije to kao kad neko stalno cuti udrustvu. Ne znas ni sta misli ni sta oseca.Tada sam shvatila kako je to moje cutanjebilo lose.
Zahljuici
Na osnovu iskustva posmatranja i analizesadrzaja grupnih protokola, zakljucili smosledece:
Opserver interferira sa grupnim proeesom ine remeti bitno grupnu dinamiku u smislupojacanja otpora ili odustajanja pacijenataod lecenja. Mladi neuroticni studenti preferiraju verbalno aktivnog nego nemog opservera. Neprijatno dozivljavanje opserveravezano je za isto takva zivotna iskustva saznacajnim zenskim figurama iz njihovog zivota (koje po polu i dobi podsecaju na opservera) ili pak za vlastito cutanje u drustvu(ukoliko se clan grupe identifikovao sa opserverom). Prijatno dozivljavanje opserveravezano je za slicna transferna dozivljavanjaprema majci, a delimicno za negativne tran- l'sferne relacije pre rna oeu (u situaciji doziv- ~
ljaja podredenosti opservera terapeutu u fa- g~zi njegovog cutanja u grupi). Terapijski po- N
tencijal i nemog i verbalno aktivnog opser- N
~vera lezi pre svega u obogacivanju grupne ~
dinamike jos jednom figurom pogodnom za oZ
nesvesne identifikacije ili projekeije danova UJ
na njega. Dragoeena pomoc opservera kojimenja ulogu od nemog ka verbalno aktiv- 63
<:I'I
""0'oo2!-NN
64
nom (ukoliko se grupa ne vodi koterapijski) je u nudenju sirih rnogucnosti za projekcije clanova grupe, ne sarno na pojedinacne figure terapeuta i opservera (kaopotencijalnog koterapeuta), nego i naodnos izmedu njih kao nesvesnu dozivljajnu paradigmu odnosa izrnedu roditelja.Nase je ispitivanje pokazalo naime da promena uloge opservera od nemog ka verbalno aktivnom posmatranju pojacava privlacnost tog odnosa za projekcije. Razlog za tolezi, pretpostavljamo u tome, sto majkepacijenata poticu dobrim delom iz patri-
jarhalnih porodica, u kojoj se podrazumevanjihova pasivna uloga, slicna onoj koju jeimao u grupi nemi opserver. Verbalna angazovanost opservera daje dodatnu sansu zaobradu osecanja danova grupe vezanih zaslicne (pasivne) uloge iz njihovog i iz zivotaznacajnih licnosti neuroticnih studenata.Dodatni terapijski potencijali nemog, a narecite verbal no aktivnog opserviranja, leziu koterapijskoj saradnji opservera sa grupnim terapeutom u smislu ponude sire lepeze licnih iskustava i alternativnog nacinavodenja grupe.
TRANSFERTOWARDS SILENTAND VERBALLYACTIVE OBSERVER
Lelica KosticPetar Opaii:
Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade
Summary: Transfer towards the observer (of femalesex) experienced by two groups of neurotic studentsin relation to the observer's verbal activity were examined. In the first phase (6 seances) the observerwas silent, and in the following phase (6 seances)the observer was verbally active. Beside the methodof collaborative observing, the analysis of the contents of the seances' protocols was also applied. Therelations (mostly unconscious ones) between positive or negative experience of important figures (primarily mother, sister and father) of patients' livesand the reaction of certain group members on theobserver in the silent and verbally active phase havebeen shown. It has also been proved that verballyactive observer is taken by group members to bemore pleasant one. It has also been concluded thatthe shift from the observer's passive to his active role induces the projections of certain group memberstowards the therapist-observer relationship, whereasthe verbal involvement of the observer, following thesilent phase, accelerates processing the unpleasantfeelings related to the passive role of group membersor important figures in their lives in mainly patriarchal families.
Key words: transfer; (silent and verbally active) observer in group therapy; neurotic students; contentsanalysis.
Introduction
Prevailing attitudes on the observer influence upon the contents and the processesof psychotherapy agree that the observer'spresence, regardless of the manner andthe aim of the observation, makes the relations within the group rather complex.The statement is valid regardless of theobserver being treated by the group members as a person affecting their privacy, (l)a person whose presence is a burden forthe therapist (2) or a person whose presence is treated by the therapist as someone aimed at controlling him. (3) Therefore, the authors (4) claiming that boththe therapist and the observer should meetcertain preconditions in order to avoid theobserver's presence affecting the therapy,are probably closest to the truth regardingthe influence of the observer on the groupdynamics.
The opinions on the crucial factor of theobservation also vary. Whether the key factor is the kind of observation (one-wayscreen observation, sitting out of the circleor sitting within the circle observation) orthe issue of active or inactive participationof the observer or some other aspect of thegroup therapy - it is difficult to say.
Regarding the role of the silent observerin the group, it is generally accepted trial:the silent observer, drawn into the groupprocess, attempts to minimise non-verbal l'communication (5) and that he feels, mo- ("<")
8re or less constantly, frustrated and isolat- ged. According to certain authors, (6) he ~
N
can react in two different ways: he can N
communicate to the group non-verbally ~during the seance, and verbally following ~
ztho seance, but he can also, as an ally of UJ
the therapist, imitate the group guide,often over-identifying himself with the 65
therapist. The silent observer in the roleof a group process catalyst may alleviateand even eliminate the experience of thetherapist as an almighty being. The silentobserver also often draws to himself thephantasies of Super Ego, that is, thearchetype of the Shadow? Namely, themembers of the group can do to him, atleast more in their imagination than in thereality, everything they cannot do to theirtherapist.
Some authors (8) emphasise the positiveeffects of the silent observer presence (reducing the risk of patients' isolation fromthe staff of the health care institution,increasing the efficiency of the therapyteam members, better diagnostic evaluation of the patient, reducing the probability of psychotic attacks). Other authors(9) are more inclined to see the negativeeffects of passive observation, like theresistance increase by provoking the feeling of compassion for the silent observer.On the other hand, some authors (10), asthe reaction on the presence of the silentobserver, point out patients' withdrawalfrom the group therapy and increase in thedemands for individual seances, that is,the feeling among the group membersthat someone, closer to the therapist thanthey are, has appeared (11). Finally, someauthors (12), in their research of theissue, emphasise that the very therapistand the silent observer are those whoidentify with each other I or even create asymbiotic relationship opposed to certain
l' group members or the group as a whole.r<")
g Regarding the transfer towards the ob-o;:::!, server, it has been noticed that, during the~ first couple of seances, the observer be~ comes the object of projections (mostly~ primitive Super Ego), transfer, brotherly~ rivalry of oedipal intra-psychical prob-
lems, which can, to a certain extent, ob-
66
struct the therapy process. Therefore, theobserver is very convenient as the objectto which all the negative emotions aretransferred from the therapist (13), or awelcome psychological mediator in theanalysis of the resistance (14).
Shortly I most of the authors agree thatverbal activity is a more desirable form ofobservation, as it supports the meaning,the role and the situations in which he canbecome the object of transfer and an active co-participant of the group therapyprocess. Through the process of magnetising negative feelings, he induces the alleviation of tension within the group.
The Description of the Group.Group Work and the Methodsof Research
This paper is the result of several years ofguiding groups of neurotic, psychotic andborder patients, in both outpatient andhospital conditions in various institutions. The authors experienced observingand guiding groups, both with and without an observer.
We have decided to do the research basedupon the research results of two groups ofneurotic students observed by the formerand guided by the latter of the authors.The therapeutic groups were slow-openones, consisted of around 10 memberseach and were functioning within the outpatient department of the Institute ofMental Health in Belgrade. The groupsmet once a week for 90 minutes.
Otherwise, the guidance of the groupswas based upon the principles of existential-analytical psychotherapy (15). The patients on the average joined the group psychotherapy for two years, with a low rateof absences and dropouts. Some of themreceived medicament therapy (very small
doses of sedatives and antidepressants)administered by the therapist followingthe meeting of the group. Group memberswere mainly coming from the province ofSerbia and were mainly advanced university students of the Faculty of Agricultureand the Faculty of Forestry. Both sexeswere represented equally.
All the seances of the researched therapeutic group were recorded and typed in extenso following the seance. The typed material - the protocol of the seances (on theaverage twenty 1,5 spaced pages) was theresearch material to which we, a year later,applied the methods of the contents analysis in order to systematise, that is, objectify our experience. Speaking of the researchmethod, it should be mentioned that, nodoubt indirectly, the scientific researchmethod of collaborative observing by bothauthors, equally in the role of the therapistand the observer was also used.
The whole research material was processed, that is, commented on from the point of view of psycho-dynamics, which is,both theoretically and practically veryclose to existential-analytical attitude ofthe group guide.
The Examples and theAnalysis of the Group MembersTransfer towards
Silent and Verbally Active Observer
A year upon the termination of the group,we began to analyse the contents of thegroup protocols regarding all verbal contents of the seances, including importantnon-verbal events (such as: getting late,leaving the meetings, change in the manner of sitting, extreme variations in themanner of speaking etc.). Based uponsuch a systematic research, and of course,
the application of psychoanalytical theoretical paradigm, we are of the opinionthat the examples mentioned below illustrate the nature of transfer relations between certain group members and the observer in general. That is, their transfertowards the observer's silence, his verbalactivity and his, attitude towards the therapist - in other words, towards his fantasised (in silent phase) or perceived (inverbally active phase) therapeutic role.With the examples mentioned below, wealso wanted to illustrate the change of theso-called 'pre-therapy transfer, (11), moreevident at the beginning of the groupwork and in the silent phase of the observer, into various forms of the so-calledtherapy transfer.
The first example involves ]ovan. Duringthe seventh seance, the first one followingthe observer getting involved verbally,jovan attempts to establish closer contactwith the observer, asking for the permission to make an informal relationshipwith her. The initiator of his psychotherapy was his mother. His resistance towardsthe psychotherapy and, to a certain extentambivalent attitude towards his mother,had obviously shifted to, or projected onthe observer who, despite it all, remainedan authority he expects the support from.Here is an excerpt of the seance protocolillustrating it:
]ovan: Why doesn't our colleague get involved in the conversation?
0'Therapist: Her attitude made her be silent 25at first. ~
NN
Observer: Do you have any comments re- ~
garding my silence? ~CJ
]ovan: You should get involved, you should ~
try to help by your taking part in the con-versation. 67
Observer: What do you feel while I am silent?
jovan: I get the impression that you are alittle needless. In a word, not sufficientlyinvolved.
The oldest member of the group was Vera,whose parents got divorced when she wasstill a child. She lived with her mother andher grandmother by her mother's side.Her interior contents involved the feelingof »not belonging to anyone« and the feeling that »nobody wants her, because theremust be something wrong with her«.
In reality, her father did not accept her.Until her mother's death, he had not beenvisiting her at all.
The presence of the observer was a sourcea constant embarrassment for Vera, especially when the observer was silent. Shesaid: »1 don't like her behaving so officially«, It is very obvious that Vera transferredto the observer the emotions she had forher mother, the person she referred to as acold, disinterested in her real wishes andneeds, the person who just expected herdaughter to behave correctly.
The following example illustrates a specificreaction to the silence of the observer, Sonjwas a student of the Faculty of Agriculture,Her mother died in her early childhood, soshe lived with her stepmother, father andher half-sister by her mother's side. Shewas very silent and withdrawn person withthe strong feeling of being rejected. Askedabout the observer, Sonja said that theobserver had an impact on her behaviour
§' within the group: »1 feel very insecure whi-G~ le she watches me, without uttering a
word«. Silence of the observer she explai::@ ned as a very discomforting, even in a para~ noid way: »1 feel like a guinea-pig«. Askedt5 about the observer again, she answered:
»For a moment I forget the observer«, Her
68
evaluation of the observer during the grouppsychotherapy, on the surface, did notchange, as she pointed out at the end of thegroup therapy that the silence of theobserver upset her, although the paranoidaspect had disappeared (the observer didnot influence her behaviour any longer).Following the verbal involvement of theobserver, Sonja's experience of the processof observation obviously changed frommore to less discomforting one. She alsooffered the explanation of her experience ofthe silent observer by pointing out that theobserver reminded her of her own self inthe company of other people. She said: »1know how embarrassing somebody's silence could be«. Obviously enough, Sonja atthe same time identified herself with thesilent observer, as the observer's silence reminded her of her own being silent following frequent family disputes she had witnessed as a child.
Darinka, on the other hand, had an utterly different experience of the silent observer. The observer's occasional smile shetook as her (the observer's) occasional joining the group, while treating the silentobserver as a passive one, Directly askedof her experience of the observer, she saidthat both the observer's presence and theobserver's silence triggered the feeling ofuneasiness in her. But, she also pointedout that she found »particularly pleasantthe smile and the look of the observer«,which can be explained by her sensitivity(partially the result of her depression) tonon-verbal messages. Darinka's attitudetowards 'the observer had also certain elements of positive transfer. Her mother,described by Darinka with a lot of warmth, was passive in her relation to Darinka's father, enduring all the mistreatment tacitly. Darinka's relationship withher sister was also a good one. Therefore,Darinka had positive attitude towards the
NN
age and the sex of the observer I as she liked her (the observer) »being a little olderthan herself, just like her sister«. All in all,the presence of the observer at the end ofthe group therapy she described as »deliverance«. On the other hand, the relationtowards her father was overburdened withresistance. She took him to be an aggressive man, which was not without foundation, as he was beating her mother. Heeven attempted to kill her once before thevery children. Darinka had nightmares,and although her father did not appear inher dreams very often, he was always represented by threatening figures (horses,and the like). It was only during the grouptherapy that he appeared in her dreams'directly and in positive light. Her fathereven gave her »a baby wol« as a presentand for the first time ceased being athreatening figure in one of her dreams atthe end of the therapy. She took the observer and the therapist to be a parental couple. She transferred the model of dominant father (to the therapist) and passivemother (to the silent observer). The existing relation between the active therapistand the passive observer helped her process some of the unpleasant feelings shehad for her parents, which became obvious from her verbal communication to thegroup. The unpleasant feelings came asthe result of parents' bitter disputes during which the mother, obeying the principles of Montenegrin patriarchal family,tacitly endured all the mental and physicalharassment by her husband -the paterfamilias, at the same time absolutely neglecting to protect her daughters and consciously preparing them for the role of theone who should listen and obey.
Members of the group directly commented on the way they experienced the observer and the change in the observer'sbehaviour. The following protocol excerpt
of one of the final meetings involvingobserver's verbal activity illustrates,among other things, the change in transfertowards the observer as experienced bycertain group members:
Darinka: The doctor (the observer) got involved into our conversation. She talked alot.
Mihailo: I think that the doctor is moreopen now.
Therapist: How does Sonja experience it?
Sonja: Doctor's silence kept on remindingme of myself in the company of other people. Only then did I realise how embarrassing it must have been.
Therapist: For the others?
Sonja: People often objected to my being sosilent. They used to say: »Why are you sosilent? You are not with us at all«. And Ireplied: »Leave me alone, I feel better thatway«. Now I realise how embarrassing it is.Some people may even take it as a kind ofsuperciliousness. As if J looked down onthem, or the other way round. Anyway, thesilence is very unpleasant. When she (theobserver) took part in our conversation,the atmosphere changed for better. I foundit very-pleasant, regardless of the persongetting involved being an expert or just somebody more experienced.
Therapist: It seems that you've seen yourself in her behaviour, and you've seenyourself with somebody else's eyes... We !do not know what is going on in the mind 0'
oof a silent person. (to Marija) What do §you think?
Marya: (to the observer) I was wondering ::E
why you were silent all the time. Next ~time I found your silence a little bit unple- ~
asant. I would like to know your opinionon what we've been talking about. 69
NN
Sonja: If someone is constantly silent, youalways wonder what he could be thinkingabout, and why he has been so silent?
Observer: Therapist: And he may be thinking ill?
Darinka: Something like that.
Marija: It may be very interesting to hearthe opinion of a person who has beenwatching us from a distance. Gettinginvolved into the conversation and beingaloof, I believe, cannot be the same.
Observer: Did you have an association likeSonja did?
Marija: I find .some of your interpretationsvery interesting. I've already told that toDarinka.
Darinka: I was present only once while theobserver was still silent. Later on, Inoticed that she (the observer) did notmake any comments. You were smiling,and I did not take it as silence. It was yourway of getting involved into our conversation. I did not take it as your being passiveor your observing us.
Observer: So, you made a non-verbal contact.
Sonja: Yes.
Darinka: The observer was silent, and Ihad this feeling of someone standing rightabove me, watching me closely. I could notsay even what I wanted to. It was so unpleasant. The first meeting was unpleasant. But, when the second meeting came,I got used to it. It's not like someone not
g uttering a single word in the company ofo2!, others. You never know what he may feel
or think. Only then did I realise how badmy being so silent must have been.
70
Conclusion
Based upon the observation and the analysis of group therapy protocols, we havearrived to the following conclusions:
The observer interferes with the processof group therapy and does not disrupt thegroup dynamics in the way that his presence does not induce resistance inc rea s eor the increase in dropouts.
Young, neurotic students prefer a verballyactive observer to a silent one. The observer's presence taken as an unpleasant experience by certain group members isrelated to their experience with importantfemale figures in their life (whose sex andage remind them of the observer) or totheir own being silent in company (if thegroup member has identified her/himselfwith the observer).
The observer's presence taken as a pleasant experience by certain group membersis related to similar transfer experiencestowards their mother, and partially to negative transfer relations towards theirfather (when the observer is in silent phase and is taken as a subordinate to thetherapist) .
Therapeutic potential of both the silentand the verbally active observer lies primarily in his enriching group dynamicswith an additional figure very convenientfor the group members' unconscious identifications and projections.
Invaluable support of the observer whoshifts form the role ofthe silent to the roleof verbally active one (unless the group isguided by the therapist and the co-therapist) lies in offering wide range of possibilities for the group members' projections, not only to Individual figures of thetherapist and the observer (as a potentialco-therapist), but also to the relationshipbetween them as unconsciously experi-
enced paradigm of the relations betweenparents. Our research proved that theshift from the role of the silent to the roleof verbally active observer increases thepotential of the therapist-observer relationship to magnetise the projections. Thereason for that probably lies in the factthat group therapy patients' mothers usually came from patriarchal communities,which imposed passive roles on them, similar to the role of the silent observer.Verbal activity of the observer opens addi-
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