Power Dynamics in the Clinical Situation: A Confluence of Perspectives

Power issues in psychotherapy are often addressed from the perspective of intersectional and societal power, enacted or embodied in the therapy relationship. Following the thinking of Young-Bruehl, who argued for acknowledging the heterogeneity of oppression, this article posits a heterogeneity of power themes in psychotherapy. Four areas of power are highlighted: Professional power, transferential power, socio-political power, and bureaucratic power. All these kinds of power are explored through the case of “Sonja,” with the overall aim of illuminating power issues in psychotherapy and illustrating how they may operate simultaneously and synergistically.