The Female Analyst and the Erotized Transference

The concept of erotized transference is discussed from Freud's original writings on the subject to those of recent contributors. It is noted that there exists an almost complete absence of reports in the literature of male patients developing an erotized transference to their female analysts. The question of how significant the gender of the analyst is in the unfolding of the transference and its vicissitudes is raised. It is maintained that the four possible analyst/analysand dyads differ qualitatively in that resistance and identification in the transference may be enhanced or inhibited by the gender of the analyst and/or the homosexual or heterosexual nature of the dyad. The erotized transference to the female analyst is focused upon as a vehicle to the study of such qualitative differences. It is hypothesized that the expression of strong erotic urges to the female analyst by the male patient is somewhat inhibited by the fantasy of the overwhelming pre-oedipal mother. In contrast, such erotic feelings are freely expressed by the female patient. Two cases, a male and a female, are described to support the above hypothesis.