Transference and countertransference: Training for mental health professionals

Build deeper therapeutic insight and strengthen clinical effectiveness by learning to recognize and navigate transference and countertransference dynamics.

Unhealed, unresolved, and unintegrated trauma can repeat itself, reenact, act out, project, or externalize in relationships.

Working with human suffering on a daily basis and being sensitive to the despair, frustration and fear embodied in clients is an integral aspect of the work by mental health professionals. In order to be effective, professionals need to be aware of the clients and their own unconscious self-protective reactions (transference/projection). When professionals remain unaware of or unresponsive to countertransference, they can enter a cycle of reactivity—both in the client dynamic and within their own psyche.

In this training, we will explore the core features of the metapsychological phenomena: transference, projection, projective identification, and countertransference. Natalie Zlodre Choy will use real case examples from direct service settings to illustrate the complex dialectic of balancing empathic attunement with empathic strain.

Learning objectives:

• Understand key self-protective strategies clients use (transference, projection).
• Understand key self-protective strategies professionals use (countertransference).
• Apply skills in “catching,” repairing and integrating the metapsychological phenomena.

Register now to strengthen your ability to hold space without absorbing the weight.

Please note: This training also covers some material presented in the Certificate in Trauma Counselling for Mental Health Professionals: Level 1.

“I have quite a bit of training and knowledge in this area however I haven’t thought of it from a supervisor stance and I really appreciated that piece of this training. It is extremely applicable and beneficial.”

– Jasmine De Fina, Human Trafficking Specialist, Past Attendee, Transference and countertransference in direct service work, facilitated by Natalie Zlodre Choy, MSW, RSW