Emotional play and resonating to the shape of the valued self with fellow-feeling: Therapeutic conversations in Brief Dynamic Therapy

Drawing from the work of Meares and Hobson the author outlines a conceptual framework that places the valued self and the sanctuary within which it is located at the centre of human development and of the therapeutic process. The experience of being valued is seen to be the basis upon which a capacity for intimacy develops. In contrast, failures of empathic resonance to the shape and texture of the valued self by significant others are seen to result in the development of an unconscious trauma system and a diminished sense of self. A consequence of this is the development of an expectational field which shapes the interpersonal patterns and experiences of the individual. A feature of this expectation field is the development of an Alien self which can manifest in the phenomenon of role reversals in the therapeutic relationship. The function of maintaining a sense of fellow-feeling in the therapeutic relationship is highlighted. Comparisons are made between the concept of an Alien self and Woodmansey’s conceptualisation of the punitive or humiliating super-ego and its distinction from the ego-ideal which in contrast contributes positively to the development of intimacy. These themes are illustrated by a case example.     

The effect of developmental regulation on visual attention: The example of the "biological clock"

The current study investigated the attentional mechanisms associated with goal engagement and disengagement in a lifespan context. Women approaching the end of their childbearing years (N = 29) were compared with women who had passed that deadline (N = 28). Participants' goal engagement was measured with a goal nomination task, an incidental recall task of goal-relevant sentences, visual attention to goal-relevant vs. goal-irrelevant images, and a memory task of goal-relevant images. The attention data indicated that women approaching the deadline had a longer first fixation on baby images than women who had passed the deadline. This novel finding was supported by a replication of the previous finding that women approaching the deadline were more engaged with the goal of childbearing than women who had passed the deadline. The connection between attention and memory of goal-relevant information is explored as evidence of cognition working in the service of motivation and developmental regulation.     

Victimization of Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual People in Childhood: Associations with Attempted Suicide

Higher rates of attempted suicide have been documented among people who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, and bisexual (LGB) compared with heterosexuals. This study sought to ascertain the association between childhood abuse and neglect and attempted suicide, comparing LGBs and heterosexuals. Childhood sexual abuse among men and childhood sexual and physical abuse among women were found to mediate the association between LGB identity and attempted suicide. The experience of childhood abuse likely plays a significant role in the relationship between LGB identity and attempted suicide, but other factors such as experience of discrimination are also important.