Anonymity, Self-Disclosure, and Expressive Uses of the Analyst's Experience

One of the characteristic features of Interpersonal psychoanalysis is its particular conceptualization of the analyst's expressive use of countertransference experiences. Interpersonal psychoanalysis, in contrast to classical technique, has no model technique or rule about personal disclosure (Held-Weiss, 1984), nor does it prescribe any particular type of analytic participation or action with the patient. Considerable controversy exists between Interpersonalists about the range of permissible selfdisclosure. On one hand, Sullivan (1954) emphatically asserts, "[T]he psychiatrist avoids being involved as a person-even as a dear and wonderful person-and keeps to the business of being an expert''' (p. 34). On the other hand, others like Ferenczi (1926) and Fromm (1947) insist on being genuine with the patient. Even analysts who elect to disclose warn that "the sharing of one's experiences with a patient is not always appropriate and calls for a high degree of sensitivity and tact and mature selfrestraint" (Chrzanowski, 1980a, p. 356). Thus, there is no direct advocacy for disclosure but, rather, an effort to find when and if it may be included.