This autobiographical essay describes the development of an intensive treatment model (mini-analysis) for responding to what Kohut called secondary self disturbances in patients with a relatively cohesive sense of self. Weaving together a clinical vignette and personal reflections on the evolution of my interest in this treatment model, I elucidate how the intermingling of idealizing transferences in my patients and my own idealizing transferences to my mentors resulted in the co-creation of an interesting form of therapeutic leverage that enabled the restoration of self esteem, self efficacy, and self affirmation in both my patient and myself.