Christopher Hansard & the Art of Transference*a sincere thanks to a former practitoner and later victim for the information belowTransference is a term first used by Sigmund Freud to describe a process in analysis or therapy. Freud noted that many of his patients seemed at some point to begin to place certain feelings, like romantic love or parental love, onto the therapist. When this process occurred the therapist could use this position to help restore the client to more normal feelings by responding in ways unlike that of the person upon which the original feelings were based.
Most commonly, transference is of a romantic nature. This does not have to be limited to relationships between client and therapists of different sexes. It is also not an indication of homosexuality, although a client with a same sex therapist may be terribly confused regarding romantic feelings toward one of the same sex.
In these cases, however, the therapist simply represents the people in the client’s life who should love him or her. The role of lover is projected onto the therapist because the therapist is usually the only person in a client’s life who is completely invested in the client, and views the client without judgment or agenda.
It can be quite difficult to discuss feelings of a romantic nature with a therapist. However, the therapist is usually aware of such feelings whether or not they are discussed. Discussion can prove to be healing and helpful, and ultimately move the client out of the transference state into a place where such feelings might be relocated back to a spouse or partner. Christopher Hansard was very much aware of these feelings, and did not relocate or divert them back to patients spouses or partners but chose instead to encourage these feelings which lead to many inappropriate sexual relations with his patients and clients through out the years.
These inappropriate sexual relations never left the treatment until now. Christopher Hansard is no longer 'practicing' alongside what he considered to be his peers, nor is he under the watchful eyes of those he once called his "apprentices", he is no longer in a legitimate relationship, nor does he have a wife and child at home. Therefore his sexual relations with patients have moved outside the 'privacy' of his treatment rooms for perhaps the first time.There is some inherent danger in transference to both client and therapist.
Some therapists may transfer their own feelings onto a client. Where romantic feelings for a therapist are involved, the client would generally do anything a therapist asks, including any sexual behavior. This is strictly illegal, but there are abuses of laws protecting clients. Similar laws apply to others who might be subject to transference, such as members of the clergy, teachers and those in other medical fields.
It is important to recognize transference as a normal stage of therapy. However,
if a therapist appears to reciprocate romantic feelings, engage in touching of a sexual nature or attempt to initiate a sexual relationship, this therapist is no longer of help and should be reported as in violation of the many laws guarding against such. In this case, the therapist does considerable harm to patients.*excerpt from wisegeek.comWe need to understand that during his 16 years of practice, Christopher Hansard has been using these same patterns of coercion and has in fact been using transference to coerce his patients in to granting him sexual favours. By taking advantage of his patients transference and vulnerability, patients were lead to believe they had a choice, they were lead to believe they therefore consented to these acts with Christopher Hansard. The truth is, they didn't. The words of one such patient at having first realised what had in fact occurred were
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He made me do things I didn't want to do... things I never would have done!
Christopher Hansard has had many years to fine tune and hone this skill. This is
Christopher Hansard's own "Art of Deception"Patients, Students, Workshops Participants, Coordinator's and Colleagues... you have nothing to be ashamed of. There was clearly an Imbalance of Power as we are well aware Christopher Hansard created an air of authority as a "Master Physician of Tibetan Dur Bon Medicine", and he accepted nothing less than your total submission in some cases. A designation that we now know to be false and was used only as means for his own sexual gratification and addiction.Imbalance of Power
Therapeutic relationships often include an imbalance of power, in which verbal and emotional abuse is possible. A practitioner may try to become a substitute for your parent. Another may want to be perceived as a close friend. Your feelings about them may become distorted. Entanglements and transferences are features of such relationships. Abusive practitioners can use transference to ...
Manipulate or seduce you
Intimidate or frighten you
Invalidate your perceptions
Encourage more sessions (that are not needed)
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My therapist was wonderful - charming, witty and good looking. And married ... and his couch was good for many things. When I found out that he had sex with other clients, I ended our sessions ... but I really miss him.
Transference can put a therapist in a powerful position and a client into a vulnerable position. A therapist using parental transference to exploit or abuse clients could be called professional incest.
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My therapist was like the loving father I never had and I would do anything he said. When he suggested a weekend together, I agreed ... but afterwards I felt more and more used ... he still calls me and wants me to purchase more sessions.
*excerpt from soulwork.net therapist damage/client abuse/transference