Working Through Physical Disability in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy With an Adolescent Boy |
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Authors: | Aliki Florou Marie-Ange Widdershoven Stylianos Christogiorgos |
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Institution: | Department of Child Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece |
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Abstract: | The narcissistic injury that may be caused by physical disability in infancy and the possible familial traumatization may block the integration of the infant's body and self-image, and can consequently hinder the child's identity formation. This article presents how an adolescent boy with cerebral palsy in short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy works through the mental impact of his physical disability using a story. Transference and countertransference reactions are discussed. The positive impact of short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy highlights the importance of caring for the mental health of children with physical impairments. |
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Keywords: | child and adolescent psychotherapy physical disability psychoanalysis |
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