ABSTRACT
In order to address the implications, context, theoretical implications of analyst personal disclosure and erotic countertransference, it is important to review the intricacies and contradictions of the analytic frame. Aside from the important need to be mindful of the context in which any disclosure is made, it is imperative to keep in mind that the very dimensions that define the analytic frame also intensify the patient's experience and longing for intimate, sexual union in this context. A related issue to erotic countertransference disclosure that is often raised as a rationale in favor of disclosure, in cases of sexual boundary transgressions, is the extent to which the patient may be viewed as a responsible adult. The disclosure occurred in the termination phase of a successful analysis when the communication of the analyst's feelings was not being used to perform a therapeutic function. The revelations did not occur in the context of a treatment impasse or the analyst's frustration with unrealized gains.
