The Constructivist Grounded Theory Study reported in this paper is based on the narrative experiences of psychotherapists who used the intersession experience of having an imagined conversation with a client. The therapists reported that they use imagined conversations with clients between sessions when they have reached an impasse in the therapeutic process, and they noted the experience helps them solve the difficulty by helping to provide greater insight into their clients' perspectives. The participants' experiences suggest a theory that explains how imagination can help one understand another: motor memory may surface implicit relational knowing.
Since the inception of social work social workers have noted the importance of relationship in practice. More recently clinicians and other social workers have developed the term ''use of self'' to indicate important aspects of the professional relationship. How that term is defined rests on how one conceptualizes ''self.'' The authors suggest that from a relational perspective the concept of self changes from the notion of self as separate and constant to self as process in interaction. They demonstrate on a theoretical level as well as through a case example how defining self as process in interaction might affect clinical social work practice.
Between sessions, therapists often engage in imagined conversations with clients. This constructivist grounded theory research documents the experiences of 12 therapists regarding imagined conversations with clients between sessions. The responses suggest that contrary to some of the analytic speculation on the meaning of imagination, the neuroscientific literature better reflects the experiences of the participants. The respondents indicated that imagined conversations are a means of surfacing unconscious negative countertransference and managing anxiety in order to be able to pursue difficult material with their clients.
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