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 is a core part of mental health work. Mental health professionals must be sensitive to the despair, frustration, and fear that clients often carry. When professionals are unaware of or unresponsive to countertransference, they may enter a cycle of reactivity. This can impact both the therapeutic relationship and their own internal experience. Professionals must remain attuned to the despair, frustration, and fear clients often carry. Equally important is recognizing their own unconscious reactions—such as transference, projection, and countertransference—which can influence the therapeutic process. When these dynamics go unaddressed, they may lead to cycles of reactivity, impacting both the client relationship and the clinician’s internal experience.

In this training, we will explore key metapsychological phenomena. These include transference, projection, projective identification, and countertransference. Natalie Zlodre Choy will present real case examples from direct service settings. These examples will highlight the complex balance between empathic attunement and 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

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