When the Past Is Present: Transference as a Resource for Change

Transference, the unconscious redirection of feelings, often occurs in a therapeutic setting. As a therapist, you may respond in just the way that triggers the client's trauma or anxiety. Your client may fear a replay of a parent’s abuse.The process of transference, however, does not have to injure the therapeutic bond. It can have positive uses, especially in locating trauma and anxiety from early life. In this workshop, explore how transference and countertransference figure into therapeutic work and how to handle these processes so that they become a resource for healing and spiritual progress. Examine the theories of Heinz Kohut and Carl Jung to inform your understanding of this therapeutic relationship. Throughout the workshop, you discuss real-world cases and listen to lectures to gain a robust understanding of transference.