Freud coined the terms transference and countertransference to refer to the psychodynamics of the therapeutic relationship. Transference refers to the client transferring feelings or projecting onto the therapist; whereas countertransference refers to the therapist transferring onto the client. Freud believed that transference and countertransference were “universal,” and they are indeed inevitabilities in human relationships (Riedbord, 2010). Moreover, the phenomena of transference and countertransference can be detrimental to the therapeutic relationship, especially when they are undetected or ignored. As Hughes & Kerr (2000) put it, transference and countertransference are “inappropriate” because instead of addressing the actual client’s concerns and issues, the therapeutic conversation is shifted to one that is counterproductive to the therapeutic goals (p. 57). Countertransference violates the therapeutic alliance and needs to be remedied, primarily with self-awareness (Hughes & Kerr, 2000).
I have experienced both transference and countertransference. When working with counselors, I have externalized my feelings about parental or authority figures, projecting them onto the counselor. This led to my not being able to trust the therapist entirely. As a counselor, I have also recognized the tendency to project and to counter-transfer. The relationship between the client and the counselor is mediated by so many different variables like age, gender, and ethnicity. When we recognize certain features in our clients or our counselors, we may draw irrational cognitive connections between similar figures in our personal and private lives. It is natural to do so, but because transference and countertransference are detrimental to the therapeutic goals, they need to be mitigated by remaining vigilant. The counselor or therapist is ultimately responsible for recognizing when transference or countertransference might occur, being aware of the warning signs and being willing to terminate the therapeutic relationship if necessary.
References
Hughes, P. & Kerr, I. (2000). Transference and countertransference in communication between doctor and patient. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 6(1): 57-64.
Riedbord, S. (2010). Countertransference: an overview. Psychology Today. Retrieved online: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sacramento-street-psychiatry/201003/countertransference-overview
In a working situation with an elderly client, the care giver may have personal experiences with emotional displays and responses. This could have created psychological damage within the care giver, which is then projected in the form of negative responses. A frustrated elderly client may, for example, be in a constantly bad and hostile mood. A care giver who has experienced this from parents as a child may experience
Supervisee should have a clear view on what to expect during the supervision process. Supervisor: Are there any courses or resources that would develop your standards in relation to services delivery? Supervisee: Learning provides room for improvement, and that would be no different to my scenario. I would attend to relevant courses to boost my confidence and expertise level in dealing with clients on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Structural
Transference and Countertransference: Presenting IssuesAs I plan to work with young children, I anticipate different issues with transference and countertransference than a counselor who primarily focuses on working with older adults. However, all counselors should be aware of the phenomenon, how it occurs, and why, and all counselors can face the challenges of dealing with a client unconsciously coping with transference. Quite simply, transference is when a client unconsciously transfers
Case Study: ColinIntroductionColin is a 54-year-old male seeking counseling for what he describes as being in the �benefits trap�: he has gotten used to having free time and pursuing hobbies due to time off work related to a physical accident. He is reluctant to return to work, citing issues of stress and anxiety, but he also knows he needs to return to work in order to enhance his income and
psychodynamic counselors facilitate change? In order to understand how psychodynamic counselors facilitate change through a therapeutic relationship with their client, it is worth discussing what psychodynamic therapy is, how it is used, how it originated, and who some of its most notable founders were. Towards the end of this document, in the description of how psychodynamic therapy is used, descriptions of recent psychodynamic therapy sessions that the author undertook in
Support Group ExperienceAbstractGroup support therapy is a type of psychotherapy that involves at least one therapist working with many persons. The type of therapy is adopted in various places, including hospitals, private therapeutic practices, community centers, and mental health clinics. It can either be utilized alone or integrated into a detailed treatment that also comprises individual therapy. There are five major types of group therapy, including interpersonal groups, cognitive-behavioral groups,
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now