Transference And Countertransference In A Therapeutic Relationship

When working with all clients there is a need as a practitioner to use techniques that incorporate, promote a therapeutic relationship. While these may be presented differently with each client the practitioners need to be using three main skills. These are using Unconditional positive regard, being genuine with clients always and while you may not have waked in a similar situation as your client, the use of empathy supports the therapeutic relationship.

This How a client perceives a counselor is very important in how they effective they feel they

Transference is often manifested as an erotic attraction towards a therapist, but can be seen in many other forms such as rage, hatred, mistrust, prettification, extreme dependence, or even placing the therapist in a god-like or guru status. When Freud initially encountered transference in his therapy with clients, he felt it was an obstacle to treatment success. But what he learned was that the analysis of the transference was actually the work that needed to be done. The focus in psychodynamic psychotherapy is, in large part, the therapist and client recognizing the transference relationship and exploring what the meaning of the relationship is. Because the transference between patient and therapist happens on an unconscious level, psychodynamic therapists who are largely concerned with a patient's unconscious material use the transference to reveal unresolved conflicts patients have with figures from their childhoods. Countertransference is defined as redirection of a therapist's feelings toward a client, or more generally as a therapist's emotional entanglement with a client. A therapist's atonement to his own countertransference is nearly as critical as his understanding of the transference. Not only does this help the therapist regulate his or her own emotions in the therapeutic relationship, but it also gives the therapist valuable insight into

Transference – clients unconscious shifting to the analyst of feelings and fantasies that are reactions to significant others in the client’s past. Involves the unconscious repetition of the past in the present

Countertransference occurs when the therapist unconsciously begins fitting their relationship with a particular client into the psychodynamic structure of a previous relationship and then reacts to that transference (Mattinson, 1975 as cited in Agass, 2002). This is natural and something that occurs unconsciously, however to be an effective clinician, one must be aware of their countertransference and be able to use it to help the client heal. Part of countertransference is projective identification which is when the client insights in the clinician the same emotions and state of mind that they are trying to dispel within themselves (Agass, 2002). Feelings such as anxiety, frustration, insignificance, or uselessness, amongst others may be provoked within the clinician and can cause that client to “get to them” making it difficult to work with them (Agass,

Transference is part of the way we relate to each other inside and outside psychotherapy, psychiatry and we have to manage it as best we can. Much of the time, it is simply a part of the complexity of any relationship, and is not a problem for either party. For example, a member of the group is fluctuated by the therapist, and unconsciously take on the characteristic behavior only to imitate them. This could be good for short term, but eventually they need to find their own way. When the group finalizes the member is still in need of the therapist, the dependence becomes an issue, the

However, counter-transference is caused by the counsellors own limitations which might include the counsellor unresolved emotional issues, but a counsellor can use this to their advantage and draw out information that is important to the clients therapeutic process.

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.

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.

Several characteristics go into the counseling client relationship to achieve success; they include mutual positive regard, genuineness, empathy, competency, and an appropriate referral process. I identify with Carl Roger’s humanistic approach to counseling; I believe that positive regard, empathy, and congruence are keys to the counseling relationship and foster trust among our clients to help them identify concerns and move forward with therapy to achieve success (McLeod, 2014). Moreover, competency is essential to provide our clients with tools for success. Counselors must remain vigilant in their practice by continuing their education, this is in our code of ethics and a best practice as our society evolves (ACA, 2014). Effective counseling is also providing an appropriate referral when needed, sometimes counselors just might not connect with their clients and in cases like this, appropriate referrals should be made.

Psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic, and psychodynamic therapies have paved the psychotherapy world as we know it. In the undergraduate program I attended professors advised students to be aware of transference and countertransference, therefore, not allowing client’s to transfer their feelings or experiences onto the counselor. Although, in psychoanalysis the therapist uses these transferences as a tool in which the client and learn from. Corey (2017) states, “the transference situation is considered valuable because its manifestations provide clients with the opportunity to re-experience a variety of feelings that would otherwise be inaccessible” (p.75). Throughout this process I can see there can be great benefits for the client to explore

Therefore, it could be a more accurate portrayal of their interactions with other compared to how the client perceive themselves to interact with others and what they say to the therapist. Immediacy can be used to address and solve problems that come up in the context of the therapeutic relationship. For example, if a client comes into therapy and acts very hostile towards the therapist, the therapist can use immediacy and address how the client’s behavior is affecting them. This could highlight others behaviors in the client’s life and foster the growth of the therapeutic relationship. If problems in the therapeutic relationships are not addressed, the relationship can be negatively affected. Kasper et al. found positive and beneficial consequences

If the client feels “safe” in the session, this can be very powerful for them. As sessions occur, the client will feel more comfortable in trusting the clinician with their feelings, attitudes and emotions. The client is able to present their needs and problems in ways that only they can express. Another factor that may resonate in the sessions may include transference and counter-transference. Transference is when the client’s attitudes, feelings and emotional conflicts from past events begin to be directed to the therapist, while Countertransference is exactly the opposite, when the therapist’s attitudes, feelings, and emotional conflicts from the past are directed towards the client (Transference and Countertransference, 2011). There are not too many positive factors with Countertransference, except being able to recognize it, when it exists, and be able to work out any conflict. A client’s experiences can affect their feelings, emotions, and behaviors towards their therapist. If the therapist remains their professionalism, and sets the proper limits and boundaries, a client can work through past experiences that are affecting their functioning. In a lecture, it is the role of the counselor to recognize the client’s experience; reflect and process the client’s emotional state, as well as process their own emotional reactions to clients and their issues. When clients can work through their problems from past

Furthermore, in this Psychodynamic theory, the relationship between the client and therapist is highly important. The therapeutic relationship is evaluated by transference and countertransference of feelings or desires, which are buried in the clients/therapists unconscious. This is the reason why they

Over the course of the term we have looked at basic aspects of counselling and interpersonal skills, how we understand and relate to them as well as how we have experienced them within our counselling triads. Within the Humanistic schools of theory, we have looked at Person-Centred Counselling, Transactional Analysis and Gestalt, under the heading ‘Integrative learning’. This has allowed me to identify my own preferences and strengths in relation to each theory and apply them in learning triads. I shall also be focussing on interpersonal skills of a more generic nature, and how they can be applied to ease, encourage and explain interactions. Repeatedly this term I have found myself fascinated with the importance of the ‘Therapeutic