Origins, consequences, and management of countertransference: A case study

Insight into the construct of countertransference may be gained by studying the relationships among its constituents. Toward that end, a single therapy dyad was analyzed for 13 sessions. Client verbalizations predicted to trigger countertransference reactions were studied in relation to their possible consequences, and the potential mitigating role of countertransference management was explored. Result suggest that when client material touches upon a therapist's unresolved issues, it may affect the therapist's avoidance behavior as well as the working alliance, session impact, and the therapist's perceptions of his or her own social influence attributes. Effective countertransference management may enhance session depth and client perceptions of the working alliance. Findings are discussed in light of implications for therapy, theory development, and future research.