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A grammar of power in psychotherapy: Exploring the dynamics of privilege.Privilege favoring the patient: Confused subordination in therapy.

A grammar of power in psychotherapy: Exploring the dynamics of privilege.: Privilege favoring the... The author believes that the literature on power in psychotherapy has not adequately theorized situations in which the patient has more societal privilege than the therapist. This situation seems to differ from other commonly described power discrepancies. This chapter addresses maladaptive versus playful ways that clients handle this "confused subordination." By privilege favoring the patient, or confused subordination, the author refers to the situation in which the patient is in a superior societal situation compared with the therapist. Therapeutic situations in which the roles are reversed, compared with common power rules outside the therapeutic setting, can be confusing to the patient and sometimes also to the therapist. By focusing on the "doing" part of privilege, the author addresses strategies that arise when privileges are questioned. Some strategies are constructive and playful. Other reactions incorporate more maladaptive strategies such as battling unfairness without context, narcissistic rage, acting out, or even denial. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A grammar of power in psychotherapy: Exploring the dynamics of privilege.Privilege favoring the patient: Confused subordination in therapy.

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Publisher
American Psychological Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 American Psychological Association
Pages
97 –123
DOI
10.1037/0000086-005
Publisher site
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Abstract

The author believes that the literature on power in psychotherapy has not adequately theorized situations in which the patient has more societal privilege than the therapist. This situation seems to differ from other commonly described power discrepancies. This chapter addresses maladaptive versus playful ways that clients handle this "confused subordination." By privilege favoring the patient, or confused subordination, the author refers to the situation in which the patient is in a superior societal situation compared with the therapist. Therapeutic situations in which the roles are reversed, compared with common power rules outside the therapeutic setting, can be confusing to the patient and sometimes also to the therapist. By focusing on the "doing" part of privilege, the author addresses strategies that arise when privileges are questioned. Some strategies are constructive and playful. Other reactions incorporate more maladaptive strategies such as battling unfairness without context, narcissistic rage, acting out, or even denial. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Published: May 28, 2018

Keywords: confused subordination; maladaptive strategies; patient; power; psychotherapy; societal privilege; therapist

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