ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights that transcript from treatments illustrating a therapeutic process within which intimacy with self and other is developed and strengthened. In order to facilitate profound moments of meeting, the therapist must possess a fairly high level of emotional maturity. In order to create profound moments of meeting with patients, the therapist must be an emotionally engaged and available presence, capable of intimacy and closeness. Research suggests that therapists who over identify with patients are at risk for burn out. A treatment that involved high levels of emotional closeness and attunement and deep levels of emotional experiencing, within the patient's optimal level of anxiety tolerance, was required to facilitate healthy growth. Evaluating the balance, or lack thereof, between the patient's need for autonomy and attachment needs to be in the forefront of the therapist's mind in order to facilitate the kind of integration required to achieve health and well-being.
