"Not again": When the Therapist Resists

Abstract

This article covers the first part of a group music therapeutic process in the inpatient multidisciplinary, psychoanalytical oriented treatment of a young woman suffering an obsessive-compulsive disorder. After a description of some basic assumptions of the music therapist about risks and mistakes in a music therapeutic framework, the unfolding dynamics in the therapeutic relationship are explained. The combination of strong hidden emotions, unstoppable improvisations and the unspoken reaction of group members, led to a moment where the therapist actively withdrew in a musical improvisation. This particular moment is the climax of the mistake, but it also opened a new door in the therapeutic process. Reflecting on this matter, we find the tension between the importance and the risk of countertransference and the need for supervision and discussion. Suggestions for music therapeutic interventions are made and the impact of the coping strategy and basic assumptions of the therapist are discussed.