\/ A OUR, , ': , • ;, :I pffl 1979 cSociety 9o.z 2Inicat cSoia( 7AJoz 1/07 911 cStzeet, d?oom 1008 CSaczamet2to Ca 95814 4~ ENVY IN THE TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCE A PDE submitted to the Institute for Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Social Work by Claire Isaacson Aliphin December 1979 ENVY IN THE TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCE Copyright ® 1979 by Claire Isaacson Allphin 11 INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK We hereby approve the Project Demonstrating Excellence "Envy in the Transference and Countertransference" by Claire Isaacson Aliphin candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Social Work Signe Doctoral Committee: Chester Villalba, .S.W. Mentor 4eL 19. Verneice D. Thompson, Animateur Date 111 To the memory of my mother, Bessie Schnee Isaacson iv 1 ABSTRACT ENVY IN THE TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCE Claire Isaacson Aliphin This project presents a theory of envy in the transference and countertransference which proposes that the recognition of envy in the therapeutic relationship will allow therapy to progress and a lack of awareness of envy can hinder the progress of therapy. In order for envy to come into the consciousness of the therapist or the patient, a state of deintegration must occur which is a letting go of ego control, per- mitting irrational images and feelings to come into consciousness, trusting that the self will provide the container for integrating this experience. For this to occur, the therapist must be able to depend on the self (as defined in analytical psychology) and the patient must be able to depend on the therapist to perform this function for him. The literature on envy in the transference and countertransfer- ence is reviewed, followed by a survey of theoretical bases of the main idea of envy in the transference and countertransference. It presents Melanie Klein's theory of envy, then describes Michael Fordham's theory of infant development out of the self. His theory of the transference and countertransference is used as the basis of that aspect of the project. After a description of Heinz Kohut's theory of the idealizing transference, the project expands upon his ideas to include envy in the transference and in the countertransference, since idealization is often 2 a defense against envy. Concluding this section, the project analyzes some myths and folk customs to illustrate the universal or archetypal nature of the affect of envy. Finally the three basic theories are synthesized into a compre- hensive theory of envy in the transference and countertransference which is illustrated by examples from a case. The project concludes with some implications for practice. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebted to Gareth Hill, the chairman of mycom mittee, for his extensive assistance on this project. Not only did he help me in generating the original idea, but he also went over all my material carefully, thoughtfully, and critically and continually en- couraged me to clarify and organize my ideas better. My committee mem- ber Verneice Thompson offered her thoughts and encouragement throughout my work, for which I am very grateful. I also wish to thank Chester Villalba, the third member of my committee, for his support during my work in this doctoral program. Elizabeth Eisenhuth read my manuscript, and in the course of many discussions helped me greatly with my ideas. Patricia Sax also read the manuscript and contributed useful criticism. Joan Schain read the manuscript with special attention to the section on Melanie Klein. I am especially grateful to these colleagues, and also to the patient whose case illustrates my thesis, for her permission to use the case material. Many other friends, colleagues, supervisees, and patients, too numerous to mention specifically, provided useful input. Finally, I wish to thank my husband, Kendall Aliphin, for his support, encouragement, and constructive criticism throughout the long course of this project. Claire Isaacson Aliphin Berkeley, California December 1979 v PREFACE All human beings experience envy, and an awareness of its exis- tence and an understanding of its dynamics can be of real help to any- one professionally involved in human relationships. In particular, the theory of envy in the transference and countertransference developed in this paper applies to all psychotherapeutic situations. However, my interest in this subject was motivated by my keen awareness that envy often plays an especially noteworthy role in the professional lives of clinical social workers. The organizations with which clinical social workers have tradi- tionally been connected are those responsible for meeting the needs of people suffering from real social, physical, and cultural deprivations. Clients of these organizations thus have a strong basis in reality for their envy of the social workers who are trying to help them. Further- more, these organizations may contribute to the clients' envy by a bureaucratic indifference to their individuality and special needs, thus widening the perceived gap between them and the clinical social workers. Clinical social workers, too, often find themselves envying those with whom they work: psychologists and psychiatrists have higher status and earn more money even when the quality and quantity of work is the same for all three disciplines. When people envy those above them in a social hierarchy, they may, in order to compensate, subtly encourage the envy of those beneath them in the hierarchy, so the vi clients of clinical social workers may have their own envy fanned and intensified rather than understood and put in an appropriate perspec- tive. 1 The following study and discussion seeks to sharpen the aware- ness of professionals--particularly those in the helping professions-- to the existence of envy and the roles it can play, for good or ill, in the working relationship. 1Personal communication from Verneice Thompson. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS V PREFACE .............................vi Chapter INTRODUCTION . 1 What is Envy? ......................3 Aspects of Envy .....................3 Disguises of Envy ....................5 Avoidance of the Envy of Others .............6 Negative Effects of Envying Others ............7 Positive Effects of Envying Others ............12 THE LITERATURE ON ENVY IN THE TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCE ..................14 What Patients Envy about Therapists and Manifestations of the Envy . 14 What Therapists Envy about Patients and Manifestations of the Envy ...............28 Manifestations of the Patient's Fear of the Therapist's Envy . 33 THEORETICAL BASE .......................35 Kleinian Theory ......................36 Envy . 36 Excessive Envy. ......................37 Defenses Against Envy .................40 Envy in the Transference . 42 Aspects of Jungian Theory . 47 Concept of the Self ..................47 Infant Development ....................50 Transference/Countertransference............54 Kohut's Theory of the Idealizing Transference ......62 Mythology and Folk Customs ................70 Myths Illustrating Envy ................70 Folk Customs Illustrating Envy . 72 Initiation Rites Illustrating Envy . 73 viii Table of Contents (continued) A COMPREHENSIVE THEORY OF ENVY IN THE TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRAI'TSFERENCE ...........75 Comparative Review of the Major Theorists ........75 Deintegration . 77 Synthesis of the Theories of Klein, Fordhatn and Kohut into a Comprehensive Theory of Envy in the Transference and Countertransference ......77 Occurrence of Envy in the Transference .........78 Occurrence of Envy in the Countertransference .....79 Envy as a Component of the Idealizing Transference 79 Manifestations of and Defenses Against Envy in the Countertransference . 81 What the Therapist Needs To Do About Envy in the Transference and Countertransference ........83 The Need for Deintegration .............85 ILLUSTRATIONS FROM .A CASE ................89 Description and Presenting Problem . 89 Social History . 90 History of Treatment ..................91 Present Treatment ....................92 History of Envy and Greed in Anne's Life........93 Envy in the Transference . 94 Envy in the Countertransference ............97 VI.. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE . 105 Implications for Practice ...............105 LIST OF REFERENCES ........................108 fix:.. 1 ABSTRACT ENVY IN THE TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCE Claire Isaacson Allphln This project presents a theory of envy in the transference and countertransference which proposes that the recognition of envy in the therapeutic relationship will allow therapy to progress and a lack of awareness of envy can hinder the progress of therapy. In order for envy to come into the consciousness of the therapist or the patient, a state of deintegration must occur which is a letting go of ego control, per- mitting irrational images and feelings to come into consciousness, trusting that the self will provide the container for integrating this experience. For this to occur, the therapist must be able to depend on the self (as defined in analytical psychology) and the patient must be able to depend on the therapist to perform this function for him. The literature on envy in the transference and countertransfer- ence is reviewed, followed by a survey of theoretical bases of the main idea of envy in the transference and countertransference. It presents Melanie Klein's theory of envy, then describes Michael Fordham's