Transference: a client’s carryover of feelings from past relationships into the client/therapist relationship

Countertransference: the therapist’s strong emotional reactions to a client

Client Therapist

Client scenario

Cheyenne is a 22-year-old woman who has had one bad boyfriend after another. She grew up with a father who repeatedly had affairs with other women while he was married to her mother. Cheyenne only found out the truth six months ago. Her boyfriends tend to stay with her until she has sex with them, promising they will be faithful but then they leave her. She could do very well in school but she is usually so caught up with her relationship issues that she never focuses enough to get higher than a C. She comes to therapy because she feels like her life is falling apart and wants help.

After two sessions Cheyenne starts to admire her therapist so much that she wishes she could come to therapy everyday. She wishes she could be like her therapist and unconsciously starts to wear the same colors her therapist tends to wear.

Types of Transference

Scenario 1 Client: You are a 45-year-old recently divorced

woman with 3 teenage children. You were always under the thumb of your husband; he always told you what to do and now he left you for a 19 year old. You go to therapy because you think your 16 year old is selling drugs out of your house.

Types of Transference

Scenario 2Client: You are a 29 year old man who is the

youngest of 5 brothers. You came to therapy because your doctor told you your chronic neck pain was evidence of stress and therapy could help. You have been having extreme anxiety – almost on the verge of panic attacks - and you don’t know why. You’re really worried you could lose your job because of it.

Types of Transference

Scenario 3 Client: You are a 33 year old woman who was

just fired from her 4th job. You were told again that you did not know how to control your anger in front of customers and you are angry because you feel you controlled your anger just fine; it is that your boss was out to get you.

Types of Transference

Scenario 4Client: You are a 17 year old who is about to fail

out of high school. You have a terrible history of child abuse and you’ve never talked to anybody about it because you didn’t know it was something worth talking about. You learned how to get along by being very subdued and withdrawn. You come to therapy because one of your teachers told you to.