The absent therapist's presence : a thematic analysis of patients' experiences of their therapist in imagination

Patients' imaginal experiences of their therapist between sessions and after termination from therapy were explored from a phenomenological perspective. Twelve patients who had been in psychotherapy for a minimum of one year and who reported a predominantly positive experience were interviewed in-depth regarding such experiences. A thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews produced three interrelated themes: (1) not feeling alone, (2) being helped, and (3) having a model. Participants typically reported that such experiences arose spontaneously, though most also noted that they could call up an image of their therapist. The results are discussed in relation to notions of experiencing others, object constancy, internalization, imagination, and free will as well as in regards to recent psychotherapy research. In general participants reported that such experiences were an important part of the psychotherapy process although these experiences could not fully substitute for actual contact with the therapist.