Countertransference and the suicidal MPD patient

The threat ofsuicide from a patient can constitute an intense cri-sis. Intense feelings from the patient will elicit intense feelings from the therapist, feelings which can be processed and understood more thoroughly and peacefully when one understands countertransfer-ence as it pertains to the threat of suicide in particular. Using the-oretical material from many sources, this paper will discuss coun-tertransference in general, pathological relational patterns as they become replicated within the therapeutic matrix, and the potential communicative value of suicide threats and their translation into useful dynamic material using the therapist's response as a clue to the meaning the patient is attempting to convey. " I have become a problem to myself. " (1961, p. 223). St. Augustine stated the problem quite succinctly. This paper will present information concerning countertransference in general and countertransference with suicidal multiple per-sonality disorder (MPD) and dissociative disorder (DD) patients in specific in order to sensitize therapists to avoid some of the many ways in which it is possible that we might become problems to ourselves in the course of our work with such patients