Hi all, I found this forum when I googled for transference. I've seen a therapist for 5 1/2 years. She's not a not a psychologist but I see her for rehabilitation for my disability, which I've been through several major surgeries. One of the surgeries caused an undiagnosed pain condition that is under intervention. I also have chronic headaches because of the nature of the rehabilitation. My therapist is experienced and also have a relative with the same disability, so she knows my challenges better than the vast majority of professionals.
But I also have much anger about her, related to self-disclosures she did for about four years ago. I can see why she shared the information with me, but the way she did it was no ok. I could hear the anger in her voice and she seemed to be speaking not as a professional but as a private person. She raised the subject several times, partially because it was related to an organization we both had very bad experiences with and partially because she saw me as an allied. She then continued to share her personal opinions of a hot button topic (related to the organization) which I very strongly disagreed with and consider dangerous but I did not say anything but gave a neutral answer. But it created the anger in me and next time she raised the subject I addressed her attitudes. She responded in an aggressive tone and seemed to be taking it for granted that people agreed with her. I snapped and scolded her, she answered back again and I hit her so hard verbally that she backed out. For the record, I'm well educated about this subject and knew her arguments and what I should answer, so she was an easy match. In the end she said I had misunderstood her, to me it appeared as a way to get out of a discussion she never saw came. Later that day I texted her and cancelled the next appointment and told her we needed a break. She responded that it was ok, apologized and said that I was welcome if I wanted to come back. I resumed the sessions after 5 weeks, partially because she has no competitors as my disease is rare and my city is not that large. And of course I need the rehabilitation. We never spoke about the incident and she has never even remotely raised this particular subject.
I doubt she is educated about transference and countertransference as her education is centered around this particular disability. Her profession is also poorly regulated although it is covered through the NHS. So if I wanted to file a complain there would be nowhere to complain.
But the anger about those episodes that happened four years ago will not go away. I believe she should have addressed the incident when I finally resumed the sessions but didn't. I think it is because of poor education about therapeutic boundaries and framework, and also because she was scared of my response as she could not dream that anyone would disagree so strongly. There has also been some other incidents where she disclosed personal things like what party she voted for last election.
She's a part of a small firm with three professionals that specialize in my disability so I could request to switch to one of the two others but I have not done so but considers to do. I would like your views of this as the anger I feel is unhealthy.