The perils of homology.

A discussion of "Treatment Problems of the Hospitalized Physician" by W. W. Meissner, S.J., M.D. and Peter Wohlauer, M.D. Meissner and Wohlauer's paper describing the difficulties attendant upon the treatment of hospitalized physicians has implications for other homologous therapist/patient pairs. Therapists who include ethnic, racial, or ideological characteristics in their professional identifies must be prepared to deal with transference and countertransference problems which arise because of their similarities to their patients. A distinction between self-involved and self-effacing empathy is useful in understanding these vicissitudes of homologous treatment.