I'd guess you got a lot of comments about Paul's actions with April because it is WAY outside of what all of us clients expect in our own therapeutic relationships. Some of us have chronic or life-threatening conditions, or parents/abusers that need smiting, or any number of other situations that would be worthy of stepping out of the frame.
You, in this blog, emphasize repeatedly that keeping the frame is so important, the underlying foundation for the therapeutic relationship. So, it seems contradictory that you are writing that Paul's choice is OK without any caveat that it is "atypical/unusual/not recommended/risky"
Does his action represent something that you wish therapists COULD do without facing criticism? Clearly I am not the only client who thinks
a) that will never happen with my T
and
b) I wish that would happen with my T
I have said it is not usual to do what Paul did but that I thought under the circumstances, I can understand why he did it. What is important is that it be talked about and worked with as a clinical issue, which is what it is.
A rigid frame is not necessarily the best way to work, but any time there is a deviation from the frame, the therapist has to reflect and understand why and be prepared to deal with it.
That has always been my stance.
Commenting by HaloScan
