ABSTRACT
This chapter describes two case studies that illustrate the functions that projective identification serves; how to work with it; how it manifests in institutions, and its prevalence in all aspects of people's lives. It explores the countertransference and the importance of supervision and consultancy in being able to work effectively with what is inevitably disturbing material. At its most basic, projective identification is a form of communication, a means by which the infant can feel understood by making the mother feel what her child is feeling. Some people are more willing recipients than others of projective identification. One of the advantages of working as an analyst is that there is a very definite framework – when the boundaries of a session are breached, the analyst can be alerted to the possibility of projective identification. Supervision for individuals and consultancy for teams, as mentioned, are crucial: knowing patterns of how projective identification works in individuals, teams and organisations helps.
