Facing the ‘Baby Bump’: how a psychotherapist’s pregnancy influences healing

Abstract

Psychotherapists are not immune to major-life events impacting their work. The therapist’s pregnancy among such events has a deep impact on therapeutic alliance. The evident biological changes induce stressors that may hinder concentration and emotional involvement but a more crucial aspect of them is the dread of client’s reaction to it. Psychoanalytic and interpersonal approaches offer a deeper look into the backstage of such encounters while also providing insight into how pregnancy can both act as a facilitator or a breaker in progress depending upon an integration of therapeutic skills and introspection.