countertransference: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Professional/Academic
Quick answer
What does “countertransference” mean?
In psychoanalysis and therapy: the therapist's unconscious emotional reaction to and feelings about the client.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In psychoanalysis and therapy: the therapist's unconscious emotional reaction to and feelings about the client.
The therapist's or analyst's projected feelings, attitudes, and emotional responses (often unconscious) to the patient, which can be influenced by the patient's own transference. It's seen both as an obstacle to be managed and as a valuable source of insight into the patient's internal world.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or pronunciation differences. The concept and usage are identical in professional contexts on both sides of the Atlantic, though it may be more commonly referenced in US clinical psychology literature due to its prominence in American psychoanalytic training.
Connotations
In both regions, it is a strictly professional, clinical term. It carries connotations of self-awareness, clinical skill, and ethical practice when managed well, and connotations of unprofessionalism or lack of training when ignored.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Exclusively high frequency within psychotherapy, counselling, clinical psychology, and psychoanalytic academic circles.
Grammar
How to Use “countertransference” in a Sentence
[Therapist] experiences countertransference towards [client].[Supervisor] analysed the candidate's countertransference.It is vital to monitor one's own countertransference.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “countertransference” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The trainee was encouraged to explore what she might be countertransferring onto her client.
American English
- The analyst recognized he was countertransferring his own paternal feelings.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form; highly non-standard if forced)
American English
- (No standard adverb form; highly non-standard if forced)
adjective
British English
- The supervisor focused on the countertransferential dynamics in the case study.
American English
- She presented a paper on countertransferential reactions in trauma work.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Primary context. Used in psychology, psychotherapy, counselling, social work, and psychoanalytic studies journals, textbooks, and supervision.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Would be misunderstood by the general public.
Technical
Core technical term in clinical psychology, psychiatry, and all psychoanalytically-informed therapies. Discussed in supervision and personal therapy for trainees.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “countertransference”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “countertransference”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “countertransference”
- Using it to mean simple annoyance or liking (it's more complex and unconscious).
- Confusing it with 'transference' (which belongs to the client).
- Spelling: counter-transference (sometimes hyphenated historically, but modern standard is one word).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While unmanaged countertransference can be harmful, recognised and understood countertransference is considered a valuable tool. It provides the therapist with direct emotional insight into what the client may be projecting or struggling to express.
Sigmund Freud first introduced the concept, though he primarily saw it as an obstacle. Later psychoanalysts like Paula Heimann and Heinrich Racker developed the view of it as a useful communicative and diagnostic tool.
No. It is central to psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, and Jungian therapies. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other more structured modalities place much less emphasis on it, focusing more on the therapist's use of technique and the client's cognitions.
By metaphorical extension, yes. Professionals in any helping or authority role can project their own unresolved issues onto those they work with (e.g., a teacher favouring a student who reminds them of their younger self). However, strictly speaking, the term is clinically reserved for the psychotherapeutic relationship.
In psychoanalysis and therapy: the therapist's unconscious emotional reaction to and feelings about the client.
Countertransference is usually technical/professional/academic in register.
Countertransference: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkaʊntətrænsˈfɜːrəns/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkaʊn.t̬ɚ.trænsˈfɝː.əns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(No common idioms use this technical term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: COUNTER (against/response) + TRANSFERENCE. The therapist's 'counter' or responsive feelings to the client's 'transference' (projected feelings).
Conceptual Metaphor
THERAPIST IS A MIRROR (that can also have its own smudges). THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP IS A DANCE (where the therapist must be aware of their own steps).
Practice
Quiz
What is 'countertransference' primarily associated with?