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com/intl/basics/transference

Transference
Transference is a phenomenon in which one seems to direct feelings or
desires related to an important figure in one’s life—such as a parent—
toward someone who is not that person. In the context
of psychoanalysis and related forms of therapy, a patient is thought to
demonstrate transference when expressing feelings toward the therapist
that appear to be based on the patient’s past feelings about someone else.

Contents

 What Is Transference?

 How Transference Works in Therapy

What Is Transference?

The concept of transference emerged from

Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic practice in the 1890s. Freud believed
that childhood experiences and internal conflicts formed the foundation for
one’s development and personality as an adult. Psychoanalysis aims to
uncover those unconscious conflicts—which may be responsible for current
patterns of emotion and behavior. Transference is one method through
which those conflicts may be recognized and, hopefully, resolved.

What is an example of transference?

If a patient’s mother was extremely judgmental to her as a child, and the
therapist makes an observation that the patient perceives as judgmental,
the patient might express that and even lash out at the therapist. This
response could be interpreted as her applying to her therapist the same
feelings that she felt toward her mother. A patient’s response to a therapist
may also resemble her response to a romantic partner or some other
person in her life.
Does transference happen outside of therapy?
Psychologists argue that transference occurs in everyday life, even if it’s
more closely examined in certain forms of therapy. For example, a woman
could feel overly protective of a younger friend who reminds her of her baby
sister. A young employee might experience the same sort of feelings he
has about his father when in the presence of a boss who resembles the
father in some way.
Is transference conscious or unconscious?
What's the difference between transference and projection?

How Transference Works in Therapy

While much of Freud’s framework has proven difficult to validate

empirically, his theories spurred the growth of psychology, and a number of
his ideas—including transference—remain relevant to therapists today.
Especially in psychoanalysis and psychodynamic forms of psychotherapy,
transference is considered a useful therapeutic tool.

What are different types of transference in therapy?

In therapy, both positively and negatively shaded kinds of transference may
occur. “Idealized transference” describes when a patient assumes that the
therapist has certain positive characteristics (such as wisdom). If the
positive feelings are not too exaggerated, this form of transference may be
useful for the therapist-patient alliance. Negative transference might be at
work when a patient has feelings about the therapist, such as suspicion
or anger, that seem to be based on experiences from past relationships.
What is sexualized transference?
A patient’s experience of sexual or romantic feelings about the therapist
has been called sexualized transference. The concept dates back to Freud,
who posited that some patients fall in love with their therapist because of
the context of psychoanalysis, not because of the actual characteristics of
the therapist. Later theorists distinguished between “erotic transference,”
which can involve sexual fantasies that a patient realizes are unrealistic,
and “eroticized transference”—a more intense and problematic pattern that
may include explicit sexual overtures from a patient.
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The Psychoanalytic Theory of Transference

Your Therapist Can Experience Transference, Too
By
Lisa Fritscher
Medically reviewed by
Daniel B. Block, MD
Updated on January 29, 2020
Print

Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Table of Contents
 Transference Is Complex
 Positive Transference
 Negative Transference
 Sexualized Transference
 Counter-Transference
 Talk With Your Therapist

In psychoanalytic theory, transference occurs when a client projects feelings about someone
else, particularly someone encountered in childhood, onto her therapist.

Frequently spoken about in reference to the therapeutic relationship, the classic example of
sexual transference is falling in love with one’s therapist. However, you might also transfer
feelings such as rage, anger, distrust, or dependence.

There are three types of transference:

 Positive
 Negative
 Sexualized

While transference is typically a term for the mental health field, it can manifest in your daily
life when your brain tries to comprehend a current experience by examining the present
through the past and, to your detriment, limiting the input of new information.

Transference Is Multilayered and Complex

Transference can sometimes be an obstacle to therapy, as the client may feel a temptation to
cut off the relationship altogether, or may become sullen and withdrawn during sessions,
which impedes progress.
Working through transferred feelings is an important part of psychodynamic therapy.
The nature of the transference can provide important clues to the client’s issues, and working
through the situation can help to resolve deep-rooted conflicts in the client’s psyche.1

Positive Transference
Transference can be a good thing. You experience positive transference when you apply
enjoyable aspects of your past relationships to your relationship with your therapist. This can
have a positive outcome because you see your therapist as caring, wise and concerned about
you.

Negative Transference
Negative transference sounds bad but actually can enhance your therapeutic experience. Once
realized, the therapist can use it as a topic of discussion and examine your emotional
response. This type of transference is especially useful if your therapist helps you overcome
an emotional response that is out of proportion to the reality of what transpired during the
session.

Sexualized Transference
Are you feeling attracted to your therapist? You might be suffering from sexualized
transference if your feelings for your therapist are:

 Intimate and sexual

 Reverential or worship
 Romantic and sensual

Counter-Transference
The therapist must always be aware of the possibility that their own internal conflicts could
be transferred to the client as well. This process, known as counter-transference, can greatly
muddy the therapeutic relationship.2
Some studies suggest 76% of female therapists and 95% of male therapists admit to having
felt sexual feelings toward their clients at one time or another.
Despite the negative connotation of counter-transference, some psychotherapists are finding
ways of using it in therapeutic ways.

Discussing Transference With Your

Therapist
Once your therapist recognizes that you're experiencing transference, they probably won't
want to discuss it right away. However, it will be necessary to address it at some point. If the
topic is avoided, it could lead to an impasse in therapy down the line and negatively impact
your relationship with your therapist because you, the client, may:

 Become embarrassed, uncomfortable, and withdraw emotionally

 Feel stress
  Regress, which can negate some of the positive progress you already achieved

Common misspellings include: transferance, transferrence, transferrance

Example
Michelle became very angry with her therapist when he discussed the possibility of
homework activities. Through the exploration of the anger with the therapist, Michelle
discovered that she was experiencing transference of unresolved anger toward an
authoritarian elementary school teacher.

[Link]

Transference occurs when a person redirects some of their feelings or desires for
another person to an entirely different person.

One example of transference is when you observe characteristics of your father in a

new boss. You attribute fatherly feelings to this new boss. They can be good or bad
feelings.

As another example, you may meet a new neighbor and immediately see a physical
resemblance to a previous spouse. You then attribute mannerisms of your ex to this
new person.

Transference can happen even in the face of distinct differences. It often makes
you look past these dissimilarities to the likenesses.

Transference can also happen in a healthcare setting. For example, transference in

therapy happens when a patient attaches anger, hostility, love, adoration, or a host
of other possible feelings onto their therapist or doctor. Therapists know this can
happen. They actively try to monitor for it.

Sometimes, as part of their therapy process, some therapists even actively

encourage it. As part of psychoanalysis, therapists try to understand a person’s
unconscious mental processes. This can help them comprehend that patient’s
actions, behaviors, and feelings.
For instance, the therapist may see an unconscious reaction to intimacy in their
patient’s inability to form strong bonds with significant others. Transference can
help the therapist understand why that fear of intimacy exists. They can then work
toward resolving it. This may help the patient develop healthy, long-lasting
relationships.

What is countertransference?
Countertransference occurs when a therapist redirects their own feelings or desires
onto their patients. This may be a reaction to the patient’s transference. It can also
happen independently of any behaviors from the patient.

Therapists are guided by strict professional codes. As such, they work to establish
clear lines of separation between themselves as a healthcare provider and you as a
patient.

For example, a therapist can’t be your friend outside of the therapy setting. They
need to maintain a professional distance.

However, the space between therapist and patient can be a murky one.
Transference can complicate the situation, too. Some professionals do struggle
with these issues at some points in their practice.

Therapists can try to prevent or improve countertransference. They may turn to

colleagues and undergo therapy themselves.

Therapists may also recommend patients to colleagues to alleviate the situation and
provide the best possible care for the patient.

How is it different from

projection?
Projection and transference are very similar. They both involve you attributing
emotions or feelings to a person who doesn’t actually have them. The difference
between the two is where the misattributions occur.

Projection occurs when you attribute a behavior or feeling you have about a person
onto them. Then, you may begin to see “evidence” of those feelings projected back
at you.

For example, projection occurs when you realize you aren’t too fond of the new
co-worker two cubicles over. You aren’t sure why, but you get that feeling. Over
time, you begin to convince yourself that they’re showing signs of dislike for you.
Individual behaviors act as “proof” of your theory.

The attributed emotions may be both positive (love, adoration, worship) or

negative (hostility, aggression, jealousy). They can also grow as your feelings
toward the person grow.

How is transference used in

therapy?
Transference in therapy may be unintentional. A patient redirects feelings
about a parent, sibling, or spouse onto the therapist.

It could also be intentional or provoked. Your therapist may actively work

with you to draw out these feelings or conflicts. This way they can better
see and understand them.

In all cases, a therapist should make the patient aware of when

transference is happening. This way you can understand what you’re
feeling.

Unaddressed transference can be problematic for the patient. It may even

prevent them from returning for treatment. This is counterproductive.
Here are some of the situations a therapist may intentionally use
transference:

Transference-focused psychotherapy

In a well-established therapy relationship, a patient and a therapist can

choose to use transference as a tool of treatment.

Your therapist may help you transfer thoughts or feelings about a person
onto them. Then your therapist can use that interaction to better
understand your thoughts and feelings.

Together, you can develop better treatments or behavioral changes.

Dynamic psychotherapy

This is most often a short-term form of psychotherapy. It relies on the

therapist’s ability to quickly define and breakthrough a patient’s problems.

If these issues involve feelings or thoughts about another person, the

therapist may purposefully try to upset their patient with that information.

This type of transference can help the therapist develop more quickly an
understanding and begin treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

If you’re open to understanding how your past has shaped your current
problems, your therapist my use CBT.

CBT ultimately teaches you to understand your old behaviors so you can
recreate newer, healthier ones. This process may bring up emotional
issues that remain painful.
Transference in this situation can happen when the patient finds in the
therapist a source of comfort or hostility that heightens some of those
feelings.

What emotions are involved in

transference?
Transference involves a wide range of emotions. All of them are valid.

Negative emotions of transference include:

 anger
 disappointment
 frustration
 hostility
 fear
 frustration

Positive emotions of transference include:

 attentiveness
 idealization
 love
 affection
 attachment

What’s the treatment for

transference?
In cases when the therapist uses transference as part of the therapy
process, continuing therapy will help “treat” the transference. The therapist
can work with you to end the redirection of emotions and feelings. You’ll
work to properly attribute those emotions.

In the event transference hurts your ability to talk to your therapist, you may
need to see a new therapist.

The goal of therapy is that you feel comfortable being open and having an
honest dialogue with the mental health expert. If transference stands in the
way of that practice, therapy won’t be effective.

You may consider seeing a second therapist about the transference. When
you feel it’s resolved, you can then return to your initial therapist and
continue the work you were doing before transference became problematic.

Takeaway
Transference is a phenomenon that occurs when people redirect emotions
or feelings about one person to an entirely separate individual. This can
occur in everyday life. It can also occur in the realm of therapy.

Therapists may intentionally use transference to better understand your

perspective or problems. It can also be unintended. You may attribute
negative or positive feelings to your therapist because of similarities you
see in your therapist and someone else in your life.

Treatment is possible in both cases. Properly addressing transference can

help you and your therapist regain a healthy, productive relationship that’s
ultimately beneficial for you.

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Transference
 

Transference describes a situation where

the feelings, desires, and expectations of one person are redirected and applied to another
person. Most commonly, transference refers to a therapeutic setting, where a person in
therapy may apply certain feelings or emotions toward the therapist.

WHAT IS TRANSFERENCE?
Transference is a psychology term used to describe a phenomenon in which an individual
redirects emotions and feelings, often unconsciously, from one person to another. This
process may occur in therapy, when a person receiving treatment applies feelings toward—
or expectations of—another person onto the therapist and then begins to interact with the
therapist as if the therapist were the other individual. Often, the patterns seen in
transference will be representative of a relationship from childhood.
The concept of transference was first described by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud in his
1895 book Studies on Hysteria , where he noted the deep, intense, and often unconscious
feelings that sometimes developed within the therapeutic relationships he established with
those he was treating.

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Transference is a common occurrence among humans, and it may often occur in therapy,
but it does not necessarily imply a mental health condition. Transference can also occur in
various situations outside of therapy and may form the basis for certain relationship patterns
in everyday life.

TYPES OF TRANSFERENCE
Some of the more common types of transference include:

 Paternal transference, when an individual looks at another person as a

father or an idealized father figure. The person may be viewed as powerful,
wise, and authoritative, and an individual may expect protection and sound
advice from this person.
 Maternal transference occurs when an individual treats another person
as a mother or idealized mother figure. This person is often viewed as loving
and influential, and nurture and comfort is often expected from them.
 Sibling transference can occur when parental relationships are lacking or
when they break down. Unlike parental transference, this type of transference
is generally not represented by leader/follower behavior, but by peer or team-
based interactions.
 Non-familial transference can be seen when individuals treat others
according to an idealized version of what they are expected to be rather than
who they actually are. Stereotypes can form in this manner. For example,
priests may be expected to be holy in everything they do, while policemen may
be expected to uphold the law at all times, and doctors may be expected to
cure any ailment.
 Sexualized transference, sometimes categorized as either erotic or
eroticized transference, may occur when a person in therapy develops a
sexual attraction to their therapist. While erotic transference often refers to
sexual thoughts an individual identifies as unrealistic and can be a positive
type of transference, eroticized transference is a consuming attraction toward
the therapist that can be detrimental to the therapeutic relationship and the
client’s progress.
Sometimes, transference is seen in everyday situations, such as when:

 A person is easily annoyed by a classmate who looks a bit like their often-
irritating younger sibling.
 A young person treats a much older female coworker with tenderness because
she brings back memories of that person’s now-deceased mother.
 An individual begins to mistrust a romantic partner simply because a previous
partner cheated .
Transference may be positive or negative. Both types can benefit therapy in different ways.
Positive transference can lead the person in therapy to view the therapist as kind,
concerned, or otherwise helpful. Negative transference might cause a person in therapy to
direct angry or painful feelings toward the therapist, but the therapist may still be able to use
these emotions to help the person achieve greater understanding.

TRANSFERENCE IN THERAPY
A person’s social relationships and mental health may be affected by transference, as
transference can lead to harmful patterns of thinking and behavior. The primary concern is
generally the fact that, in the case of transference, an individual is not seeking to establish a
relationship with a real person, but with someone onto whom they have projected feelings
and emotions.
When transference occurs in a therapeutic setting, a therapist may be able to better
understand an individual by gaining knowledge of the projected feelings and, through this
new understanding, help the person in therapy achieve results and recovery. By
understanding how transference is occurring, a mental health professional may be better
able to understand both a person’s condition and/or aspects of the person’s early life that
affect them in the present.

Transference may often occur between a therapist and a person in therapy. For example,
the therapist may be viewed as an all-knowing guru, an ideal lover, the master of a person’s
fate, a fierce opponent, and so on. Proponents of psychoanalysis believe that transference
is a therapeutic tool crucial in understanding an individual’s unconscious or repressed
feelings. Healing is believed to be more likely to occur once these underlying issues are
effectively exposed and addressed.

A therapist might also educate a person in treatment on the identification of various

situations in which transference may be taking place. Techniques such as journaling can
allow a person in therapy to identify possible patterns in both thought and behavior, through
the review and comparison of past entries. When examples of problematic transference
become more recognizable, a person in therapy may be able to explore why the
transference occurs and help prevent its recurrence.
One type of therapy known as transference-focused therapy (TFP) harnesses the
transference that occurs in therapy to help individuals gain insight into their own behavior
and thought patterns. It is most commonly used to treat borderline personality (BPD) .
References:

1. Ladson, D., & Welton, R. (2007). Recognizing and managing erotic and
eroticized transferences. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 4(4), 47-50. Retrieved from

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 2. Makari, G. J. (1994). Toward an intellectual history of transference
[Abstract]. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 17(3), 559-570.

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3. Pereira, J. G. (2010). Transference and the therapeutic relationship–Working

for or against it? Retrieved from

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4. Prasko, J., Diveky, T., Grambal, A., Kamaradova, D., Mozny, P., Sigmundova,

Z., Slepecky, M., & Vyskocilova, J. (2010). Transference and

countertransference in cognitive behavioral therapy. Biomedical Papers of

the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc,

Czechoslovakia, 154(3), 189-197. Retrieved from

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Last Updated: 09-25-2019