Countertransference Processes in Psychodynamic Therapy with Dependent (Anaclitic) Depressed Patients: A Qualitative Study Using Supervision Data.

Although Blatt's two-polarity model of depression has suggested that patients' interpersonal styles may shape countertransference phenomena in psychotherapy, empirical research on this topic has remained scarce. This article provides an in-depth study of countertransference processes in clinical work with dependent (anaclitic) depressed patients using a qualitative methodology. Thematic analysis of narrative material of psychodynamic therapists discussing patient cases during supervision ( = 7) resulted in four recurrent themes: "empathy, compassion, and support," "anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and protection," "frustration, irritation, and confrontation," and "inadequacy, incompetence, and fatalism.