ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that, to grasp the dynamics of the psychotherapeutic process between patient and expectant parent during and following the arrival of the child, one must understand the therapist's relationship with her professional context during this period. The expectant therapist's behavior makes a difference in how the system responds to his or her expectant state. Stated in the language of general systems theory, the therapist is a subsystem of the broader system of treatment in which that therapist functions. The responses of the institution induce a host of reactions in expectant therapists. Institutions would benefit themselves and their employees by accepting that employees will become expectant parents. The supervisor should be someone who has forged a strong supervisory alliance with the trainee, a bond that has been demonstrated to be associated with an array of positive outcomes. Organizations and supervisors should develop resources to accommodate the needs of both the workplace, the supervisee, and the expectant parent/therapist.
