Sample Case Study Potential Transferences

As a group, we determined that potential transferences included the skirt Janice’s therapist was wearing during her therapy session, being challenged about the seating arrangements at her brother’s wedding, and the fact that her father left her mother to marry a woman who was much younger than him. One group member pointed out that Janice compared the therapist’s skirt to the attire of her step-mother. Another group member made mention that Janice’s feelings for her mother and step-mother are very strong and she may carry those feelings that she has for them onto her therapist.

Explore your feelings in response to the client’s reaction.
Janice’s reaction to being confronted or challenged may occur in many different aspects of therapy. Sometimes when individuals expect someone to agree with them or to be on their side and the opposite happens, they become embarrassed, angry, or annoyed. Because Janice has not dealt with the issues related to her mother and father’s divorce, she is projecting the negative thoughts
All of them led back to Janice being challenged by the therapist and her feelings changing in that instance. Janice has become the protector of her mother and with the therapist challenging her on the seating arrangements she may have assumed she was taking the side of her father and step-mother. One group member suggested that Janice may feel betrayed due to the assumption of her therapist taking her father’s side. Another group member looked at this from a broader view and suggested that Janice may fear that if she gets too close to her step-mother that she will be letting her biological mother down. She may view this as a form of betrayal. By approaching the subject with caution this could be an opportunity to engage Janice in deeper conversation to learn exactly where the emotions are coming from and how we as therapists, can help her overcome those