6^th International Congress of the WIAMH

Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, August 13 – 15, 1999.

CONTRA-TRANSFER AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ROLE OF BORDERS

Ljiljana MORO, Tanja FRANČIŠKOVIĆ, Jasna GRKOVIĆ, Ika RONČEVIĆ-GRŽETA, Mirjana PERNER

The goal of this statement is in showing of some specific characteristics of the relations in the work with psycho-traumatised in relation to maintenance of borders. With the start of war in Croatia, the General Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia was created, and within it there was the Department for Mental Health with four fundamental parts. Within the Regional Department for Mental Health, a group of volunteers of various professions gathered to receive a psychotherapeutic education. After a short education in psycho-trauma, they were included in the work with refugees, preparation of soldiers before going to the front lines and work with the wounded in surgical and rehabilitation centres. Therapists met once a week in a form of Balint Group, working of structuring of their approach to the traumatised ones. The war circumstances had influenced the work of therapists in their approach to the traumatised and the way of their modification of their therapeutic approach. A group of therapists, who were involved in work with the traumatised since the very beginning of the war, had noted their difficulties and the ways for solution of those. Contra-transferral problems were recognised through regular consultations and supervisions. The Questionnaire by the Centre for Psychology and Social Changes under Influence of the War was applied on the supporters. The authors have paid special attention to uniqueness of emotional problems related to management of borders in therapeutic process. The problems of management are especially related to veterans.

Key words: Veterans – Contra-transfer – Therapeutic Process – PTSD

Reference:

1. Solomon Z (1995) Coping with war-induced stress. New York: Plenum Press
2. Pernar M, Frančišković T, Moro Lj (1998) Disociative experiences of traumatised clinets and their therapists. Paper presented on 1^st World veterans Conference, Dubrovnik
3. Valent P (1995) Survival strategies: a framework for understanding secondary traumatic stress and coping in helpers. In: Figley (ed): Compassion fatigue. New York: mazzel, 21-50.