Week 2 responses on personal triggers

Response 1

Thank you so much for your well-written discussion on the concepts of transference and countertransference. My viewpoint aligns with yours as I am also of the opinion that performing a self-reflection to identify our inner conflicts and our reactions to them before caring for patients is crucial to the therapeutic relationship. It also ensures that we do not negatively impact the therapeutic alliance that is needed for successful psychotherapy. According to Shea (2017) “It is not enough to be aware of one’s negative feelings towards the patient if present. It is also important to ensure that nonverbal behaviors do not transmit these feelings without the conscious awareness of the clinician, thus breaking unconditional positive regard” (p.655).However, it is important to recognize that “Not all countertransference reactions are detrimental to the therapeutic progress. Indeed, countertransference reactions are often the strongest source of data for understanding the world of the client and for self-understanding on the therapist’s part” (Corey, 2017, p.71). In order to effectively maximize the positive aspects of countertransference reactions, the therapist has to develop and builds skills for self-understanding and establishing strong boundaries with clients in order to ensure that only the best outcome occurs. “A clinician must remember that enactments involving countertransference provide valuable information about what is being re-created in the therapeutic setting” (Gabbard, 2020, p.244). In this regard, as Advanced practice nurse therapists, it is wise to recognize that we will be drawn into various roles and the client will elicit various reactions from us during a psychotherapy session and that maintaining an artificial aloofness is neither desirable nor beneficial. Another approach for dealing with countertransference is showing empathy and compassion. The first step towards showing empathy and compassion is that clinicians should see each client as a person and not as a diagnosis. The therapist should understand the behind every psychological diagnosis lies a client who is going through intense pain, struggles, and suffering. By acknowledging these conflicts, working through transference/countertransference, and working collaboratively with the client, the Clinician can effectively deal with transference and countertransference reactions as they arise in clinical practice.ReferencesCorey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. (10th ed.) Cengage Learning.Gabbard G. O. (2020). The role of countertransference in contemporary psychiatric treatment. World psychiatry: official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 19(2), 243–244. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20746Shea, S.C. (2017). Psychiatric interviewing the art of understanding. (3rd ed.) Elsevier

  Response 2

Thank you for your post. To expand on our discussion, I would like to emphasize that 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 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 (Gabbard, 2020). A 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. The therapist must always be aware of the possibility that their own internal conflicts could be transferred to the client as well; this is where the issue of countertransference comes in (Dahl et al., 2017).

References

Dahl, J., Hogeland, P., Ulberg, K., Svein, A., Gabbard, G. O., Perry, J. P., & Christoph, P. C. (2017). Do therapists’ disengaged feelings influence the effect of transference work? A study on countertransference. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 24(2), 462–474.Gabbard, G. O. (2020). The role of countertransference in contemporary psychiatric treatment. Journal of the World Psychiatric Association, 19(2), 243–244.