Being in the consulting room: A study of the physical space of the consulting room and its role in the therapeutic process

This study originates from my observation of phenomena relating to patients’ relationships with the consulting room, where they project onto the room, at times seemingly unrelated to the transference to me. I utilise Freud’s theory of instinct, as well as three data sets (1- Historical and Cultural, 2- Sigmund Freud’s Writings, 3- Object Relations and Winnicottian theories) to formulate my hypothesis to explain the phenomena better: The Room-object Spatialisation Matrix. Spatialisation simultaneously involves a psychological projection of meaning and physically acting upon the environment, utilised to master the undifferentiated, relentless, internal pressure of instinct. I suggest that this can take place within a matrix of stages, the first of which - Primal Spatialisation,takes place into mother/parts of mother to create the object, this is pre-object and therefore pre-transferential. I suggest that a difficulty in utilising mother as the first object of spatialisation, can lead to Stage 2 of the Matrix - Primary Spatialised Room Transference (Room-Object), where spatialising into the spatial array of room spaces and the objects within them replaces or supplements the mother function. Stage 3 - Secondary Spatialised Room-object in the Consulting Room, is where the consulting room is used as other rooms were used before as a direct displacement from one room to the other, separate from transference to the therapist. Stage 4 - Secondary Spatialised Room-object and Transference of Object in the Consulting Room, is like Stage 3 but includes the transference to the therapist. Stage 5 - Tertiary Spatialised Room-object, Object and Consulting Room outside the Consulting Room includes the spatialising of the original spatialised room, the object, the therapist in the transference and the therapist’s consulting room. I test this hypothesis utilising Data set 4- Clinical Data, in order to demonstrate the hypothetical matrix stages in particular the pre-transferential aspects.