Reply to Bauer (2003) and Fisher (2003).

The author acknowledges the sophisticated understanding of his article (J. M. Natterson, 2003) on the part of both W. D. Bauer (2003) and D. J. Fisher (2003). The author discusses Bauer's and Fisher's concerns about the defensive idealization of the therapist and about a rigid programmatic imposition of love themes on therapy. There is also a response to the question of the philosophical basis for the basic role of love in therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)