Sexual relationships in group analysis: Theoretical investigations and clinical applications

Abstract

The theoretical framework for understanding the sexual relationships developed between members of a group-analytic group is investigated and supported by clinical cases. The circumvention of the members’ identification with the conductor as a leader/ego ideal/Name-of-the-Father as favoured by multi-transference and the members’ and/or therapist’s sliding from desire/symbolic to enjoyment/imaginary, entailing the incursion of the real, play a structural role in the patients’ sexual enactment. Romantic/sexual relations constitute projective identifications in action against the group experienced as a bad object and plead unconsciously for a premature separation from it as a sufficiently good object. This study has clinical implications concerning the monitoring of transference/countertransference, exercising leadership and coping with forced termination in group analysis.