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A queer phenomenological analysis of experiences of sexual and erotic feelings between female-identified patients and psychotherapists

I am a PhD student in the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex. Under the supervision of Professor Raluca Soreanu, I am carrying out a research project that aims to understand patients’ and psychotherapists’ experiences of sexual and erotic feelings in psychotherapy, and how they make sense of these feelings in the context of the psychotherapy and in their own lives.

My study focuses on psychotherapists who identify as female* working with clients/patients who also identify as female*.

Existing research on erotic transference focuses on heteronormative gender configurations; I hope that this project will extend psychotherapists’ understanding of ‘queer’ experiences of erotic transference, including a phenomenological understanding of patient perspectives, which have been little explored until now.

I hope the results of this study will increase our understanding of how psychotherapists can work productively with ‘queer’ erotic transference with patients of any gender identity and sexual orientation.

I am attaching an advert for the study. Potential participants can contact me for an information sheet either directly by email hm21886@essex.ac.uk or using this link .

For more information or to participate, please see the advert here.

I am also recruiting separately for patient / client participants, and am equally interested in both perspectives. The patient information sheet can be obtained through the same link as above.

*self-identify as female or as being on the female end of the gender spectrum, including identifying as a cisgender woman, a transgender woman, non-binary, or gender non-conforming if you experience your gender identity as sometimes or predominantly female.