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Blurred Boundaries: My Therapist, My Friend
M. C. Miller
Shades of Gray Books, Westminster, CO, 1993,
306 pages.
Reviewed by
Frank MacHovec, Ph.D.
This book is a personal account of one woman’s
search for self. Its 13 chapters flow much like a diary with dated entries describing her
journey in therapy. Dedicating the book to her "inner child," the author views
"the gift of love" as the major dynamic between therapist and client. Therapy,
for the author, is "a profound paradox" because "the relationship is not
reciprocal," yet it is "crucial" that therapists be "totally
involved." Otherwise clients feel "alone and terrified." She believes
therapists and clients "transform a part of themselves" in the process. This is
the author’s own personal view and she presents it well.
The truth is that if all therapists invested themselves
so intensely it is likely the experience would be too draining. There is a danger in the
closeness and sensitivity of therapy. We can be thankful that only a small fraction of
therapists become emotionally or sexually involved with clients. The book would have been
stronger had it warned readers of this possibility.
Blurred Boundaries revolves around the themes of
dependency, codependency, striving for unity, integration, and autonomy. This book is
everyone’s story but at times only the author’s, which may cause readers
difficulty in feeling personally involved in what are mostly the author’s personal
concerns and issues. Readers pursuing their own search for meaning, stability, and
identity can benefit from this detailed exploration of inner space. It is recommended for
anyone along that path,
especially
recovering ex-cult members and their families, since it helps to see how
someone else charted a course toward improved mental health.
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