ABSTRACT
S. Gerhardt refers to Davidson and Fox’s work when she says that “babies who see happy behaviour have activated left frontal brains and babies who witness sad behaviour have activated right frontal brains”. A. N. Schore provides a more comprehensive description of this process, stating that only in a right hemispheric-dominant receptive state in which a “private self” is communicating with another “private self” can a self–self object system of spontaneous affective transference–countertransference communications be developed. Mindfulness training, reflective practice, peer support groups, and self-exploration workshops are some of the possible alternatives to personal therapy; however, each of these would be required to demonstrate greater understanding and increase in the therapist’s awareness and ability to tolerate high levels of affect. The chapter presents some case studies which have been anonymized, with some details changed to maintain client confidentiality. The studies provide examples of the brief therapeutic process, and highlight where affect regulation and repair have occurred within the therapy.
