If you see transmission in the exam (or in real life), don`t panic! Transmission is a common phenomenon in therapy and is not a cause for concern. If you see a question about transmission in the exam, you usually won`t move on to something drastic (for example. B refer to another therapist). Instead, you can actually use the transmission for therapeutic purposes. If a client interacts with you while interacting with their mother (or father, spouse, child or colleague, etc.), you can take the opportunity to explore these relational dynamics and patterns in therapy. Since the transfer concerns the client and not us, it is acceptable to use it for therapeutic purposes. Transfer and counter-transfer describe two common scenarios within a consultative relationship. Both transfer and counter-transfer represent how the client acts and feels towards the therapist and vice versa. Both transmission and counter-transfer can be powerful tools in therapy if used appropriately, but can also be harmful to the therapeutic relationship and process if not recognized and treated.
The correct answer is C, counter-transfer. The therapist has an emotional response to what the client shares. Lack of empathy can be a harbinger of counter-transmission. When we use empathy as practitioners, we look at the situation and the client outside of our own point of view, making a counter-transfer less likely. “Now I could work with the counter-transfer. I was aware that he needed me to be stronger than him. Not only did I have to contain his anger, but I also had to stand up to him; Challenge his anger because he was a tyrant. When I started, he was able to relax and calm down. His uncontrolled anger only gave him less control, and it wasn`t good for him or for me. It was a great learning experience for me to realize how to use my own feelings to improve my understanding of working with a patient. “There was a recent experience where I wasn`t as attentive to my counter-transfer, which made me not be in the present and ignore the pace of the reflections I offered to the client,” says Vanessa Kensing. “Afterwards, I noticed that my client was starting to withdraw emotionally and her body language was changing.
My immediate reaction was panic and guilt (“Oh no, I made a mistake!”). Once I realized that I felt and realized that I would take care of myself after the session, I was able to turn my attention to my client. I asked if we could take a break and shared that I felt I had “gone too fast” and asked her how she felt. Let`s see how you relate to today`s practical question: “Grief is [a form of counter-transmission] that is easy to see in me, just like grief. I have seen it in my own clinical work. It`s hard to have raw feelings and sit down with someone who is going through something similar. “Hit yourself:) on the shoulder,” says Vanessa Kensing. “If you`re ready to notice when you feel a counter-transmission, you`re in a great place! Now, take a break.
You can feel great emotions. A little self-compassion and deep breathing would probably be fine right now. If you`re struggling with this topic (or any other topic), don`t worry! Each TDC client is paired with a coach to whom you can always send an email if you have any questions or need further explanation. TDC has helped THOUSANDS of social workers pass their ASWB pivotal clinical exams, and we can also help you succeed. If you haven`t already, be sure to read our reviews of some of the THOUSANDS of social workers we`ve helped become LMSW and LCSW! Another contrasting perspective on transmission and counter-transfer is offered by Adler`s classical psychotherapy. Instead of using patient transmission strategically in therapy, positive or negative transmission is diplomatically emphasized and explained as a barrier to cooperation and improvement. For the therapist, any sign of counter-transfer would indicate that his own personal analysis of the training must be pursued to overcome these tendencies. Andrea Celenza noted in 2010 that “the use of analyst counter-transfer remains controversial.” [12] “These ancient and often rigid patterns of interaction need to be recognized, understood and discussed in treatment.