Transference Phenomena in Psychotherapy
Transference is not a phenomenon unique to therapy. It occurs in all relationships: We do not experience people solely as they are, but through the lens of our past relationship experiences. A supervisor may take on traits of one’s father without anyone noticing.
This comes into play in therapy. The patient unconsciously perceives the therapist in familiar roles: Old patterns resurface in the present therapeutic relationship. The therapist herself does not assume these roles. What becomes visible are traces of subjective experience, not faithful representations of her life story.
Countertransference is everything the therapist herself feels during the session. It serves as a tool: When a therapist notices that she is becoming impatient, at a loss, or excessively caring, she learns something about the patient’s transference tendencies and their effect on others.
In depth psychology-based psychotherapy, transference is acknowledged and utilized, but consciously limited—unlike in the Analytical Psychotherapy. The focus is on relationships outside the doctor's office.
This requires a high degree of self-reflection. This includes Self-Awareness Required for training.