Countertransference, which occurs when a therapist transfers emotions to a person in therapy, is often a reaction to transference, a phenomenon in which the person in treatment redirects feelings for others onto the therapist.
History of Countertransference
Sigmund Freud originally developed the concept of countertransference. He described it as a largely unconscious phenomenon in which the psychologist’s emotions are influenced by a person in therapy and the psychologist reacts with countertransference. Classical psychoanalysts, such as Carl Jung, who faced his own struggle with countertransference, characterize it as a potentially problematic phenomenon that can inhibit psychological treatment when left unchecked.
In other words, it is necessary for therapists to master the tendency to participate in unconscious countertransference by developing healthy boundaries and remaining mindful of the threat posed by countertransference, both to the therapeutic relationship and a therapist’s work with people seeking treatment.
In contemporary psychology, clinicians typically make a distinction between helpful and unhelpful countertransference. Many contemporary psychologists openly share their own feelings with the people they are treating and may use countertransference, in a conscious manner, to understand differences between their own experiences and the experiences of the person in therapy.
Unhelpful countertransference, or even harmful countertransference, can occur when the
Transference and countertransference are both normal phenomena that may arise during the course of the therapeutic relationship. Understanding these phenomena in nursing is important because the primary focus of nursing is the nurse-patient relationship (Imura, 1991). This discussion will describe how these phenomena occur, and how they may manifest in the nurse-patient relationship. Furthermore, this discussion will highlight nursing interventions in these situations, in order to provide insight into how nurses can maintain and improve the therapeutic focus and environment.
The foundation of therapy starts by building rapport with the client and applying strategies when necessary to overcome a variety of barriers. It is imperative to have rapport with a client and to be aware of barriers to facilitate a good treatment outcome. This will take practice and the use of methods and strategies ready to be implemented when needed. There are many components to building a good client rapport such as: intimacy, vulnerability, exploration of inner challenges, self-awareness, staying present; inner resiliency, empathy, anxiety management, and self-integration, and relationship acceptance. The two types of barriers are internal and external and this is for both the client and the therapist. The common barriers to rapport are countertransference and transference. Strategies for overcoming barriers are: Pause Moment and self-awareness. It also requires skills such as being genuine, sensitive, open, and
Countertransference happens when a specialist exchanges feelings and sentiments toward the group members in references of their own unresolved disputes. When a therapist has the feeling of anger towards the client, and allows the client to irritate them. There are many unresolved issues that could surface from the therapist, dealing with cultural values, conflicts and having control of the group (Gladding, 2012). It is vital for a therapist to know their own particular countertransference’s before interacting with clients.
Countertransference is when the therapist’s unconscious emotional responses to a client that produce a distorted perception of the client’s behavior (Corey & Corey, 2016). Regarding countertransference, I think that interviewers should strive to work with all types of clients; in a perfect world this would be the case. Helpers may come into connect with certain clients that may arouse personal feelings that may hinder the clients care. Countertransference manifests in many forms: being over protective with client, treating clients in benign ways, rejecting a client, needing constant reinforcement and approval, seeing yourself in your clients, developing sexual or romantic feelings, giving advice, and developing a social relationship with clients (G. Corey, M. Corey, C. Corey & Callanan, 2015). If at anytime a counselor feels that these manifestations are occurring than a possible termination and referral may be in the best interest of the client.
Psychotherapists will be educated in various different models and whether they are approaching a client through the concept of observing external behaviours, the Behaviourist approach for example in which a therapist will look to condition new behaviours, or through the idea of internal behaviour, such as the Psychodynamic approach and believing the unconscious needs to be divulged, the aim of all approaches is to enable the client to lead a positive and prosperous life, in the words of Carl Rogers, as a
Additionally, countertransference occurs when the psychoanalyst/therapist has personal biases that are elicited by the client and the therapist reacts based on their personal biases. The therapist allows their subjective opinions to be activated in sessions with the client instead of keeping their objective stance. For example, a therapist may be working with a client that has some gender role issues and the therapist has had some past experiences with gender roles that has caused some personal biased opinions about gender roles, the therapist then allows those gender roles opinions to be activated and is no longer being objective. Another type of countertransference is client-induced where the client gets the therapist to take on roles that the client usually has others doing based on past
(2005), explains that something within the projection could hook someone else in a negative way. In addition, Rizq, R. (2005) defines projective identification as a development within the therapeutic process resulting in feelings and thoughts conceivably affecting someone else and maybe reversed from client to counsellor as well. Alternatively, the counsellor may have unconsciously brought, proactive countertransference, Clarkson, P, (2002) to the process. Proactive countertransference is defined as thoughts, feelings, and the ambience that are introduced into the process by the counsellor. However, in saying this, if the counsellor was consciously awareness of this within the process they may effectively be able to develop or could consider using this in helping them understand the client. Additional attributes of the counsellor were wounds that appeared in the counsellor 's thoughts, (a) mistrust of others, and (b) a presumption that relationships fall apart due to hiding their secrets. This also infers, by placing trust in a relationship we are likely to be deceived and deserted.
By offering warmth and unconditional positive regard, the therapist provides a partial antidote to the client’s previous experiences, in which most likely authority figures like his parents or teachers acted towards him as if he had no value as a person. Thus, within this nonthreatening context, the individual feels free to explore and share painful and abnormal feelings with his therapist, without worrying about being rejected or judged by him.
Question: The reading states that therapists report countertransference reactions to their narcissistic patients. Is there another group of patients with whom therapists may have countertransference reactions? Also, since empirical research has indicated that therapists engage in countertransference reactions to their narcissistic patients, what steps can they take to prevent countertransference from occurring?
If the clinician is not able to separate, their feelings during the therapy sessions, it can lead to negative effects for the clinician and the offender. The clinician could develop deep psychological problems or experience burnout. Countertransference can take place which is some sort of emotional reaction towards the offender. If the clinician displays empathy or aggression towards the offender, it could interfere with progress made for the offender by giving them “low self-esteem or self-confidence”. This could be problematic for the healing of the offender as well as the
The coach-client relationship has often been compared and contrasted with the counselling and psychotherapy relationship (O’Broin and Palmer, 2008) with emphasis placed on the importance of the quality of this relationship (Muran and Barber, 2010; Norcross, 2010). Coaching literature confirms the link between creating a strong coach-client alliance (O’Broin and Palmer, 2008) and positive client outcomes. Developmental and contemporary theorists acknowledge the essential need for relationship (Fairbairn, 1974; Stern, 1985), as well as the sometimes opposing need for individuation (Mahler, Pine & Bergman, 1975) that is active over the life span (Johnson, 1994). Antoszkiewicz (2000) highlighted two approaches to human development: Individualism
Related to the transfer process described by Freud (transferring unresolved conflicts in childhood to the therapist), a concept currently extended to include the transfer of feelings and behavioral patterns not only from children's conflicts with parents, but also with other significant persons In the course of life. While client and therapist focus their attention on client issues and issues, there is an interpersonal process in which clients behave with the therapist the way they have learned to do it with other meaningful people in their lives. The therapist's task is to avoid responding to clients in a predictive way, so that the client experiences a new and more satisfactory response in his relationship with the therapist.
Gestalt therapy is grounded in the here and now concept. Cognitive distortions are the core of cognitive-behavioral and the therapist goal is to try and help a person learn to change in psychotherapy. The five different kinds of contact boundary disturbances are; Introjection is defined as the tendencies to accept others beliefs and standards, but without understanding them, and to make them fit with who we are. An example of this is when; my son is threatened at school. He takes on the strong-defender attributes that they perceive in their father and push away the bully. Projection is described when an individual struggle with their own emotions are attributed to someone else. For instance, I had a tiresome day at work. I return home and say
Unlike the transference approach, PCT focuses on the here and now and does not attempt to work with previous trauma/experiences which may affect behaviour (McLeod, 2015). Despite this, the effectiveness of the therapy does not appear to be affected as it has gained strong empirical grounds, remaining very popular amongst therapists and clients (Tudor & Worrall, 2006). Because this approach relies heavily on the therapist’s personal qualities to deliver effective therapy, the approach may not be suited to every therapist. As I am naturally a very empathetic and optimistic person, I feel the PCT approach would be suited to me, although this is not intended to diminish the effectiveness of other available approaches.
Transference is an unconsciously influenced emotional reaction of the patient to the psychotherapist and (in a less technical sense) other health care providers that originates from the patient's earlier experiences related to significant others, especially caregivers, and that are inappropriate to the present context or way in which the therapist is currently dealing with the patient (Scaturo, 2005). I feel that Ms. Rain was the most influential person in Precious’ life. She grew to love her as a person, and not just as her student. Precious said she never spoke in class before she came to each one teach one alternative school. Ms. Rain asked her how she felt speaking for the first time. Precious said it made her feel like she was part of the class. Ms. Rain spent great deal of time helping precious learn how to read and write and she was appreciative. She began to trust and rely on Ms. Rain. The teacher represented all that was lacking in Precious’s life. She was thoughtful, compassionate, and gentle. Ms. Rain wanted Precious to succeed in her endeavors. I felt that Ms. Rain showed precious what a healthy and caring relationship ought to look like. I recollect Precious articulating that she felt warm and loved when she was at the home of her teacher. I felt that this was a positive transference because Precious ultimately benefitted from her interactions with