Transference is a key concept in counselling. It refers to the unconscious redirection of feelings and expectations from past relationships onto the counsellor (Freud, 1912/1958). Understanding it is essential for counselling students aiming to build effective therapeutic relationships.
What Is Transference?
Transference occurs when clients project feelings, desires, or expectations originally associated with significant figures from their past—often parents or caregivers—onto the therapist. This may manifest as trust, admiration, dependency, anger, or even hostility (Corey, 2020). For example, a client who experienced a critical parent may unconsciously perceive neutral feedback from the counsellor as criticism, triggering emotional reactions tied to past experiences.
Why Transference Matters in Therapy
Transference provides insight into a client’s relational patterns and unresolved conflicts. Positive transference can enhance engagement, while challenging transference highlights areas for growth (Kernberg, 2016). Recognising these patterns enables counsellors to guide clients toward greater self-awareness and healthier relational responses.
Transference vs Countertransference
Countertransference is the therapist’s emotional response to a client’s transference. Awareness of both is crucial to maintain professional boundaries and effective therapy (Gelso & Hayes, 2007). For instance, a counsellor who unconsciously reacts with frustration to a client’s projected anger may inadvertently reinforce negative patterns. Regular supervision helps manage these dynamics.
Identifying Transference
Signs of transference include:
Repeated emotional patterns or themes in sessions
Idealisation or devaluation of the counsellor
Exaggerated reactions to routine interactions (Corey, 2020)
Counsellors are encouraged to reflect on these patterns, discuss them in supervision, and consider how they mirror the client’s past relationships.
Working with Transference
Effective strategies include:
Exploring relational patterns and projections
Gentle interpretation and confrontation
Encouraging insight and emotional processing
Transference is not inherently negative; even difficult projections offer opportunities for therapeutic progress. The goal is to help clients understand the origins of their feelings and practice healthier responses (Yalom, 2002).
Ethical Considerations
Maintaining professional boundaries while addressing transference is vital. Counsellors must balance empathy with objectivity, ensuring the therapeutic relationship supports client growth without becoming a source of gratification for the therapist (BACP, 2018). Supervision is essential in navigating complex transference situations safely.
Conclusion
Transference is an ever-present but often invisible aspect of counselling. By recognising and working thoughtfully with transference, counselling students and practitioners can facilitate insight, emotional growth, and healthier relational patterns. With reflective practice and ethical vigilance, transference becomes a powerful tool for understanding clients and supporting meaningful change.
References
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), 2018. Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. Lutterworth: BACP.
Corey, G., 2020. Theory and Practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy. 10th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Freud, S., 1958. The Dynamics of Transference. In: J. Strachey, ed. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume XII. London: Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1912)
Gelso, C.J. and Hayes, J.A., 2007. Countertransference and the Therapist’s Inner Experience: Perils and Possibilities. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Kernberg, O.F., 2016. The Treatment of Patients with Borderline Personality Organization. New York: The Guilford Press.
Yalom, I.D., 2002. The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients. London: Piatkus.