Countertransference was a term originally used by Freud to describe a client's influence on the analyst's unconscious feelings. Freud believed that no psychoanalyst "goes further than his own complexes and internal resistances permit," and for this reason, having a personal analysis as part of training was considered essential. In other words, Freud viewed countertransference as arising from unresolved and unconscious issues within the analyst. Since then, our conception of the countertransference has grown to include all of the therapist's reactions to the client, including his or her conscious experience during the session. From this point of view, as a working therapist, your own feelings, thoughts and fantasies provide important information to further your understanding of your client. This latter view is exactly the way I think about countertransference; during sessions, I rely heavily on my internal process to help me understand the person I'm working with.
In my recent post on repression, I gave a simple example: a client who communicated a lot of pain to me during session (that is, I felt pain) but seemed not to be feeling it herself. I often have similar experiences in session, where I'm listening to someone talk; feelings will start to stir within me but my client doesn't seem to be conscious of any particular emotion. Working this way, you have to be cautious not to assume that everything you feel comes about because of the client's issues; you need to listen for other material that gives you a basis for believing that it's a projection or unconscious communication. After a while working this way, you begin to trust your reactions (your countertransference in the broad sense) and feel confident about when and how to use them.
Part of that trust depends upon your comfort level with certain emotions. Remember Freud's remarks about how unresolved complexes and resistances will limit a therapist's effectiveness. If you're the kind of person who has trouble bearing anger or grief, it may limit your ability to understand your client's experience. This is especially true when dealing with certain types of depression. I'm thinking in particular of one type I discussed a while back, where unconscious and destructive rage plays a major role. Therapists who have a hard time acknowledging their own anger and aggression will struggle with this particular client because they don't want to feel the emotions aroused by treatment. Therapists who believe they should only have kind and loving emotions toward those in their care will also have a hard time. Such therapists may often dislike the client without quite admitting it. Their interpretations may come across with an edge; or they may become much more directive and impatient because they want the client to "move on." They may secretly dread that particular session in their day.
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