Object Relations Theory

Object Relations Theory

ATC521: Individual Counseling & Psychotherapy Presenter: Cathy Lin

Object Relations Theory

How our relationships with people are affected by our experiences with others and we set up representations of them witnin ourselves, This influences the way we interate with others.

"Other, or “object,” refers to the who and what in which we invest our libidinal energy." (Robbins, 1987)

According to Frued object is a person or object that satisfy a need.

(Corey, 2013)

Theorists

There are more than one psychoanalytic theorist that developed the object relations theory. Sigmund Freud: Important person a child gets attached to Margaret Mahler: Three stages of development: Normal Autistic stage - no whole self or object Normal Symbiotic stage - dependecy Separation-Individuation stage - seperated, but connected for comfort

Melanie Klein: Infants perceive parts of the mother, not as one fused being Otto Kernberg: Borderline Personality Disorder: Rejection of independence after symbiosis stage. May suffer from Narsiccistic Personality Disorders Donald Winnicott: Transitional objects

(Corey, 2013)

Object Relations Theory

The child "must be able to weather the turbulence of later, developmentally necessary frustrations and failures by the mother who will not always be able to provide this totally empathic atmosphere." (Wolf, 1979) Art therapists can help the person reclaim the lost of love. The therapists are there to offer "a holding enviroment, which can make pain bearable, and can allow progress and growth to proceed." (Rubin, 2001)

Object Relations Theory

(Wolf, 1979)

Object Relations Theory In Art Therapy

The relationship between the therapist and client is extremely important. The session allows the client to treat the therapist as a parental figure and sort out their feelings through projection repairment. Pro: Client can heal through the theraputic relationshiop as the therapist act as the "good enough" parent Con: Therapist may have to tolerate client's tantrum and negative feelings as a figurative parent. The bonding may not work if client does not view the therapist as the transference object. Both sides need to be willing to participate. (Rubin, 2001, p. 62)

Conclusison

Parents need to fulfil a child's need and be "good enough" or else the absence of parents will be intolerable and the idea of good and bad cannot be integrated. Therapist will be the transference object in sessions and provide empathetic enviroments. Building a theraputic relationship with clients can help them overcome anxious feelings towards their parents and release frustration onto the therapist. Openess of therapist can allow the clients feel accepted and let go their anger towards their parents; the clients learn to tolerate pain.

References

Robbins, A. (1987) The Artist as Therapist. New York: Human Sciences Press. Rubin, J. A., (2001) Approaches to art therapy: Theory and technique. Brunner-Routledge Wolf, R. (1979) Re-experiencing Winnicott's environmental mother: Implications for art psychotherapy of anti-social youth in special education. Art Psychotherapy.