In psychoanalysis, the phenomenon where a therapist's reactions to a client reflect the therapist's own past experiences is called?

• A. Counter-transference
• B. Transference
• C. Projection
• D. Repression

Answer: (A)

Counter-transference is when the therapist’s own past experiences and unresolved emotions color how they respond to a client. This means the therapist’s reactions—feelings, attitudes, or interpretations—are influenced by the clinician’s history, not just what the client is expressing in the moment. Recognizing and managing counter-transference is important because it can shape the therapeutic relationship, boundaries, and treatment decisions, for better or worse; supervision and self-awareness help clinicians use these reactions therapeutically rather than letting them distort the work.

This differs from transference, where the client projects feelings about important others onto the therapist. Projection is when a person attributes their own unacceptable thoughts to someone else, rather than the therapist’s internal experiences shaping their responses. Repression is a defense mechanism where uncomfortable thoughts are pushed out of conscious awareness, not about the therapist’s reactions to the client.