Understanding Therapists' Experiences with Countertransference: A Move Towards Better Training, Supervision, and Practice

• Main Author: Kara, Shainoor
• Other Authors: Gazzola, Nicola
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa 2020
• Subjects: Countertransference; Transference; Psychotherapy; Counselling
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/40437; http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-24670

Countertransference (CT) is a prominent concept in the counselling literature and is commonly defined as the reactions therapists have to their clients, resulting from their own unresolved conflicts and vulnerabilities (Gelso & Hayes, 2007). According to Friedman and Gelso (2000), while some CT reactions are perceived as positive, they still shift focus to therapists’ concerns rather than those of their clients. This can be perceived as defeating the purpose of therapy. This study revealed therapists’ experiences with CT to help pave a path towards more ethical and client oriented treatment by shedding light on potential changes that can be made to counselling practice and education. Thematic analyses (TA) by Braun and Clarke (2012) was used to analyze data from interviews with four participants. In seeking to understand how CT is conceptualized by therapists, the contexts within which CT reactions occur, and how therapists deal with their CT, five themes emerged from the data. These included: (a) defining characteristics of CT, (b) CT triggers, (c) reactions to CT, (d) methods of dealing with CT, and (e) impact of CT on therapy. Reflection on said themes may inspire counsellors to handle their CT in ways that have proven effective to others and may help them feel less alone in their CT experiences, allowing for more productive response.