ABSTRACT
Countertransference is composed of the therapist's personal or subjective reactions to the patient, and is usually thought to include all of his or her responses, with particular attention being paid to those responses that constitute a departure from the therapist's typical therapeutic style. The awareness of countertransference seemed to come as such a surprise that it is no wonder Freud tried to shake it off at first, advising his colleagues and students to have more analysis to get rid of it. The relationalist ideas about the therapist's subjectivity added another dimension to our understanding of countertransference phenomena. The concept of counter-transference was broadened to include the therapist's contribution, in response to the patient's transference, and to the material brought into the sessions that related to specific unresolved issues in the therapist. Frank feels that this avoidance is due to oedipal countertransference anxiety, in other words, a fear of dealing with one's own oedipal conflicts.
