The Hateful Client Thomas V . Martin, M.D. Martin Psychiatric S - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Hateful Client

Thomas V . Martin, M.D. Martin Psychiatric S ervices, PC CJA Annual Conference November 2, 2017

What’s the Difference Between the Psychiatrist and the Attorney?

The S chools They Attended!

We Often S ee the S ame Types

• f Individuals

Clients v. Patients

D.W. Winnicott, M.D.

 Pediatrician  Psychoanalyst  Hat e in t he Count er-Transference (1949)  Neurotic Patients v. Psychotic Patients  Personality Disordered Patients  The Analyst is Analyzed  The Attorney is…

.left hanging?

Hating One’s Client

 Is this normal?  Does hating affect my attorney-client

alliance?

 S

hould I bury or deny my hate?

 S

hould I take my hate out on my client?

 What do I do?

Psychoanalysis

 The Analyst undergoes own analysis  Interpret Transferences  Interpret Counter-Transferences  Developing a relationship between the

Analyst and the Analysand

Why am I an Attorney?

 Altruistic  This is my chosen j ob and I’ m dealing with

my own guilt

 Get paid a lot of money  Discover and learn new things; make right

in the world

 “ Been there, done that”

Why do I Hate my Client?

 Client is dangerous  Client doubts Attorney's competence  Attorney’s perception of mental illness  Client’s need to feel dominant  ENTITLEMENT

Why do I Hate my Client?

 Committed morally wrong crimes  “ Rubs me the wrong way”  “ Pushes my buttons”  Reminds you of somebody or something  They acted on one of YOUR fantasies

Recognizing the Hate

 Rumination  Fantasies  Avoidance  Aggressive  Ineffective counsel  Collateral Feedback

Dealing With the Hate

 The Attorney must own their hate  The hate must be understood and sorted

• ut

 Counter-Transference must be understood  Do I have a “ neurotic” or “ psychotic”

client?

 Forgive, not Accept!

Dealing with the Hate

 Do not over-identify with the client  Do not blur the boundaries  Must address and deal with one’s own

anxiety and fears

 Y

• u may HATE the Client; you may NOT HIT

the Client

Dealing with the Hate

 Easier to keep latent the hate for the

neurotic Client

 Difficult to keep latent the hate for the

psychotic Client

Client’s Perspective

 Client likely brings lots of baggage  Developmental management of hate is

important, for both Attorney and Client

 The Client may need to hate you before

they respect you and develop rapport

 The Attorney represents a hated figure

In psychoanalysis, the Analysand cannot be expected to tolerate his own hate of the Analyst, unless the Analyst can hate him.

Hate Management

 Do not deny; own your Hate  Participate in avocational activities  Develop strong work-personal boundaries  Enlist a trusted colleague  Recuse self from the case, if unmanageable  S

eek Professional help

Conclusion

 An Attorney has to display all the patience

and tolerance and reliability of a mother devoted to her infant, has to recognize the Client’s wishes as needs, has to put aside

• ther interests in order to be available and

to be punctual and obj ective, and has to seem to want t o give what is really only given because of the Client’s needs.

Conclusion

 The Client cannot be initially expected to

appreciate the Attorney’s point

• f

view because he lacks the ability to identify with the Attorney.

 The Client cannot see the At t orney’s hate

that is often engendered by the very things the Client does.

Conclusion

 It’s important t o recognize and analyze the

manner the Client invokes one’s hatred for them to avoid the formation

• f

a destructive and murderous alliance.

 Only then, one may address, t olerate, and

work effectively in an obj ective manner with the most hateful Clients.

Questions?