Perhaps, for the first time I am writing an article here for more colleagues than for clients. My colleague Natalya Filimonova encouraged me to do this, asking me to share the practices I use for removing maternal projection from a psychologist. It is no secret that a client comes to a psychologist for maternal acceptance. Whatever we call it, the essence does not change. And it is “acceptance” that is one of the main tools of psychotherapy. When living through childhood traumas and going through age-related crises, it is important for a person to be accepted. Accepted with his emotions, thoughts and feelings, accepted unconditionally. And when there is such acceptance, then trauma does not occur, a person learns to cope with the situation adequately, consider crises as a simple school task and go through them easily, without falling into a stupor or hysteria. Such a person does not need psychotherapy. It is needed when there has been no acceptance, when a person in the family has not received experience in adequately dealing with crises. And having come to psychotherapy, he receives acceptance and unconsciously shifts the role of the mother to the psychologist. He hangs his projections on him. And this is part of the game that helps him heal his emotional wounds. This is neither good nor bad - it is what it is. The main thing is to complete this game on time. In my practice, I complete this game either after accepting the mother and separation, or in the final final session. Depending on the client, on his perception, I use different techniques and their combinations. Disidentification With a sufficient level of awareness of the client, sometimes it is enough tell him the task. And he, with his own intention, disidentifies me and his mother. To help him, I suggest imagining my mother and me side by side, seeing the difference and doing the “Untying Associations” technique in its oral version. 2. Removing projections using metaphorical associative cards “AlterEgo” (or “Persona”). The client takes out 2 cards from the deck: the mother’s card and the psychologist’s card. It tells about each card: Description, thoughts, emotions, sensations in the body. We overlay the mother’s card on the psychologist’s card. What qualities appeared in the mother’s card that were not there before? (These are the qualities of a psychologist that the client wants to see in his mother, but does not see. We focus specifically on “acceptance”) We move the cards apart a short distance. We ask the client to describe his mother’s card. (At a short distance, the client sees these qualities in the mother’s card). We move the cards further, making sure that “acceptance” is preserved in the mother’s card. Let’s clarify how the client now feels in relation to his mother’s card? (thoughts, emotions, sensations in the body) How does the client feel about the psychologist’s card? (thoughts, emotions, sensations in the body). This is often enough to remove projections and disidentify. 3. “Bouquet of Expectations” technique. Unfortunately, I don’t remember its source and don’t know the author. But I use it with great gratitude. It is suitable for those who have good visual perception. This is such an energetic exchange of expectations. Imagine all your expectations that you have invested in a person or in a relationship in the form of some kind of image. (in this case, what the client contributed to the psychologist). Draw this image into your chest and distribute it throughout your body. Present all other people's expectations, attitudes and beliefs in the form of some kind of image and return this image to its owner. (in this case, the client’s ideas about what the psychologist has invested in him). The beginning of the psychotherapy process is very important, but its completion is no less important. In order not to get the client hooked on the “psychotherapeutic needle,” you need to help him remove all projections in a timely manner and return responsibility for his life. Accordingly, you need to remove your projections from clients in a timely manner. I do this, most often, after the first session. And then, if necessary. I wish you an effective completion of the psychotherapy process. And what methods do you use in your work, colleagues? Best regards, Galina Suslina