As Celine begins to reveal more and more of her innermost thoughts and feelings to her therapist, she begins to feel good about him as well as accepted by him, just like she did with her grandfather. She develops a sense of trust, particularly because he does not criticize her. What process is occurring?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The process that is occurring is called transference. Transference is a psychoanalytic concept that refers to the patient's unconscious feelings that are displaced onto the therapist, often based on past experiences with significant others. In this case, Celine's positive feelings towards her therapist are likely related to her positive feelings towards her grandfather, and are being transferred onto the therapist. This is a common phenomenon in therapy and can be used as a helpful tool for the therapist to gain insight into the patient's underlying issues.

As Celine Begins to Reveal More and More of Her