Transference and countertransference refer to unconscious processes in spiritual direction relationships. Transference occurs when a directee unconsciously redirects feelings from past relationships onto the director. Countertransference is when a director unconsciously reacts to feelings aroused by the directee. Unrecognized transference and countertransference can harm the relationship, but addressing them can provide opportunities for growth. Examples include feelings of attraction, treating the director as a parental figure, or running over time. Directors should notice their own feelings and discuss them in supervision to use transference and countertransference constructively.

1. TRANSFERENCE &
COUNTERTRANSFERENCESchool of Spiritual Direction: SDS – Spiritual Direction
Supervision

2. WHAT IS TRANSFERENCE?
A phenomenon characterized by unconscious
redirection of feelings from one person to another.
The natural, to-be-expected process by which a
person seeking help in a direction relationship (or any
helping relationship) transfers his or her own feelings,
thoughts, impulses and fantasies about a person from
one’s past (feelings not fully resolved) to the spiritual
director. The directee in the midst of transference is
not aware that he or she is doing this “transferring” of
feelings.

3. WHAT IS
COUNTERTRANSFERENCE?
The process by which the person providing help—in
this case the spiritual director—reacts to his or her
own feelings, thoughts, impulses and fantasies
aroused by the directee.
Commonly expanded to include any feelings,
emotions, or reactions that the director has for or
toward the directee.

4. THE ORIGINS OF TRANSFERENCE
Transference was first described by psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud,
who acknowledged its importance for psychoanalysis for better
understanding of the patient's feelings.
When Freud initially encountered transference in his therapy with patients, he
thought he was encountering patient resistance, as he recognized the
phenomenon when a patient refused to participate in a session of free
association. But what he learned was that the analysis of the transference was
actually the work that needed to be done: "the transference, which, whether
affectionate or hostile, seemed in every case to constitute the greatest threat to
the treatment, becomes its best tool". The focus in psychodynamic psychotherapy
is, in large part, the therapist and patient recognizing the transference
relationship and exploring the relationship's meaning. Since the transference
between patient and therapist happens on an unconscious level, psychodynamic
therapists who are largely concerned with a patient's unconscious material use the
transference to reveal unresolved conflicts patients have with childhood figures.
(Wikipedia)

5. ORIGINS OF
COUNTERTRANSFERENCE
First defined publicly by Sigmund Freud in 1910 as being "a result of the
patient's influence on [the physician's] unconscious feelings.
Includes unconscious reactions to a patient that are determined by the
psychoanalyst's own life history and unconscious content; it was later
expanded to include unconscious hostile and/or erotic feelings toward a
patient that interfere with objectivity and limit the therapist's effectiveness.
More positive views of countertransference began to emerge, approaching
a definition of countertransference as the entire body of feelings that the
therapist has toward the patient.
The contemporary understanding of countertransference is thus generally
to regard countertransference as a “jointly created” phenomenon between
the treater and the patient. The patient pressures the treater through
transference into playing a role congruent with the patient’s internal world.
However, the specific dimensions of that role are colored by treater’s own
personality. Countertransference can be a therapeutic tool when examined
by the treater to sort out who is doing what, and the meaning behind
those interpersonal roles

6. IMPACT OF TRANSFERENCE
& COUNTERTRANSFERENCE
Unrecognized and/or unacknowledged
transference/countertransference can result in the
direction relationship being derailed, growth for the
directee being inhibited, and the potential for harm to
the directee increases.
On the other hand, transference reactions can be an
opportunity for the directee to experience growth,
healing, and strengthened relationship with God, as
can appropriately used countertransference.

7. EXAMPLES OF
TRANSFERENCE
Feeling sexual attraction for the director
Treating the director as a friend, parent, spouse…
Assigning certain attributes to the director and relating to the
director accordingly:
 Being fearful that the director will be shaming and so
withholding details/information
 Treating the director with disdain for no apparent reason
 Assuming the director won’t understand
 Becoming overly reliant on the director, etc.
Constantly being late or running over time
*Similar dynamics can occur in the supervisor – director/supervisee
relationship
*

8. EXAMPLES OF
COUNTERTRANSFERENCE
Feeling like the director needs to take care of the directee
Romantic or sexual feelings for the directee
Feeling a need to please the directee
Running over time or being late to sessions
Feeling inhibited or intimidated by the directee
Feeling toward the directee in a way similar to the director’s
parent, sibling, or any other person in director’s past.
*Similar countertransference issues may appear in the supervisor-
director/supervisee relationship.

9. HOW TO WORK WITH
TRANSFERENCECOUNTERTRANSFERENCE
Notice any intense feelings, urges, tensions, body sensations. Any
of those might suggest a transference/countertransference
dynamic.
Take what you notice into supervision
Use the information of the transference/countertransference in
direction
You may bring up the transference/countertransference to the
directee in the form of noticing: “I’ve noticed that…” without
blaming, shaming, or guilting…and without labeling what you’ve
noticed as “transferene”.
Joseph Driskill (“Preventing Ethical Quagmires in Spiritual Direction”) posits that
in spiritual direction, the transference is focused on God, so the directee can be
invited to take any concerns, emotions, expectations, etc. to God in prayer.

10. OTHER DIRECTOR/DIRECTEE
ISSUES
Blindspots on part of either director or directee with regard to the
Dimensions or Arenas of Human Experience
The director not engaging in adequate self-care
Director’s skills need further development
Environment for direction is distracting
Either director or directee feel the match is not appropriate
Director or directee is experiencing major life crisis
Director or directee struggling with psychological or emotional issues
The director’s spiritual life is being neglected
Lack of understanding about directee or a psychospiritual tool/approach they are
using
The directee feels s/he know’s more that the director
The director or directee is struggling with issues of faith, doctrinal belief, theology
Director triggers past issues/trauma in directee or vice versa