You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
There is a large body of literature on the patient's idealization of the analyst. Much less is written about the reverse: the analyst's idealization of the patient. This article argues that this imbalance stems not from the infrequency of the latter, but rather from its neglect. Psychoanalysts often unwittingly harbor valorized views of their patients. This subjective tilt may contribute to the therapeutic action, but it can also do harm. Aspects of the analyst's engagement contributing to this phenomenon include the caregiving behavioral system, love, and emotional immersion. These can augment and obscure cocreated transference/countertransference enactments entailing idealization of the patient. The supervision and self-supervision of analysts should include awareness of this tendency.