ABSTRACT
As Self-psychology has evolved from exclusively dyadic treatment, it has illuminated transference configurations that are applicable to group treatment. Selfobject transferences not only are directed to individuals and to the whole group. In addition the concept of the group-self, refers to members’ deeply felt inner experience of the group ideals and goals.
Individual’s experience of whole group interpretations often stirs a basic ambivalence between group membership and self-expression. Self psychologically informed interventions, understanding and explaining, focus on therapists tasks of empathically understanding individuals prior to explaining (interpreting) the group-as-a-whole. Examples will illustrate transference and countertransference aspects of the treatment process.
