Responding to transference involves therapists objectively observing the client's projected feelings, identifying the underlying pattern, and using it as a therapeutic tool by bringing awareness to the client, often through discussion, role-play, or exploring differences between the therapist and the original figure, all while maintaining clear boundaries and fostering understanding. For individuals experiencing transference, the key is to talk openly with your therapist, explore these feelings as they arise, and work with them to understand and resolve past emotional patterns.
Tips for dealing with transference
Therapists must reflect on their strong emotions during client sessions to ensure these feelings don't interfere with therapy. They engage in regular self-reflection to understand their reactions, and consider whether they stem from personal issues.
Transference is when someone redirects their feelings about one person onto someone else. During a therapy session, it usually refers to a person transferring their feelings about someone else onto their therapist. Countertransference is when a therapist transfers feelings onto the patient.
While transference is a normal part of therapy and can be helpful, it becomes problematic if the therapist needs to handle it properly. If not managed well, transference can cause emotional harm to the patient and lead to ethical issues.
Results Exploratory factor analysis identified five transference dimensions: angry/entitled, anxious/preoccupied, avoidant/counterdependent, secure/ engaged and sexualised.
A strong client reaction. One of the most helpful ways to recognize transference is when your client has a reaction in therapy that appears inappropriate for the situation. For instance, say you are discussing your client's behavior in romantic relationships, and they start giving you flirtatious signals.
The development of strong transference is triggered by an unreadable therapist who behaves neutrally, says nothing about themselves and presents presenting without emotional involvement. The patient can freely transfer to the therapist the feelings they have learned with important people (Breuer and Freud 1895).
What are the three types of transference in therapy?
What to do if you get upset with your therapist
Sexual Relationships
It is never okay for a therapist to engage in a sexual relationship with a client. Not only do sexual relationships impair the professional performance, but they can also have dire emotional and psychological consequences.
Below are five foundational emotional detachment steps that support mental health and help you start moving forward—without losing yourself in the process.
Countertransference = therapist's reaction based on their own personal feelings. Q: How do you recognize countertransference? A: Emotional surges, dread or excitement about sessions, impulsive urges to over-help or judge those are all signs of countertransference.
Because the concept of transference was first used in psychodynamic therapy, some people feel it has no place in the person-centred approach. However, Carl Rogers himself refers to transference in his writing, stating that transferential attitudes are evident in the context of person-centred counselling.
Ways to identify and deal with transference and countertransference include being aware of danger signs in clients, monitoring self, and taking relevant material to supervision. Danger signs include the client 'acting out' or being very familiar towards you, or you feeling parental towards your client.
If a therapist starts to feel this way toward a client, it's their responsibility to take these feelings to a supervisor or consultation group and discuss them there, not with the client. For the client though, it's not unethical (though it can be scary!) to talk about these feelings with the their therapist.
To end a transference pattern, one can try to actively separate the person from the template by looking for differences. Transference reactions usually point to a deeper issue or unfinished business from the past.
Results: Exploratory factor analysis identified five transference dimensions: angry/entitled, anxious/preoccupied, avoidant/counterdependent, secure/engaged and sexualised. These were associated in predictable ways with Axis II pathology; four mapped on to adult attachment styles.
Transference is a process where clients unconsciously redirect emotions and desires from significant figures in their past onto their therapist. These emotions can be positive, such as admiration or affection, or negative, like hostility or distrust.
Signs of Transference in Therapy
Strong emotional reactions: An individual blows up at another for seemingly no reason, implying that they have buried feelings toward another person. Misplaced feelings: One person tells the other what they want to tell someone from their past, such as “Stop trying to control me!”
By traumatic transference I mean a kind of transference in which the patient "unconsciously expects that the therapist, despite overt helpful ness and concern, will covertly exploit the patient for his or her own narcissistic gratification" (Spiegel, 1986, p. 72).
The therapist may be flattered or affected by the transfer of the patient, have a desire to help or punish the patient excessively, avoid it or pamper them (Pope et al.
When a therapist recognizes that transference is occurring, it can be an opportunity to identify an underlying problem to address and resolve. Raising the issue could provide something of an “aha moment” to patients who may not have been able to spot the problematic pattern before.
Therapy sessions can unexpectedly bring up emotional triggers for clients through various themes and situations. Knowing these patterns helps you anticipate and prepare for potential reactive moments with your clients.
In psychotherapy with a male therapist, a patient might display behavior that is reminiscent of early childhood relationships. A female may become overtly flirtatious with her male therapist and inform her therapist that it would be more comfortable to have therapy at a local restaurant.