Interpersonal Resistance to Change: A Study of a Fat Woman Who Became Thin

Abstract

The paper reports on the psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy of a very obese woman who, after a rather prolonged therapy, “decided” to reduce. During the weight loss process, significant reactions were noted from her son, daughter, brothers, sisters-in-law, customers, employees, husband, and therapist, which became crucial interferences with the continuing weight loss and specific resistances in the therapy. The identification of and the working through of these resistances significantly increased and consolidated her self-understanding. In that the response to major psychological changes was minimal as compared to the response to her physical change, it is hypothesized that physical change is more basically related to sense of self-continuity and hence more threatening to experience and observe.