The holding environment : challenges in the containment of a patient with borderline personality disorder

This qualitative study used a single case study method to explore the therapeutic relationship between the researcher and a client diagnosed with a borderline personality disorder. The aim of this study was to examine what it entailed to establish a foundation stable enough to support the client as she challenged the rules set up to protect the therapeutic space. A hermeneutic - psychoanalytic analysis of session notes taken over the course of the one year treatment was used to make sense of the symbolic enactments occurring between the researcher and her client. This contributed to a deeper understanding of what it meant to provide a therapeutic holding environment for someone with a pattern of instability of relating to others and viewing herself.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Vollenhoven-Brown, Tanya

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Shabalala, Nokuthula

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11206

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/11206