ABSTRACT
Countertransference can be defined in the strict sense as those emotions in the therapist that derive from his or her unresolved earlier relationships with his or her parents that are projected onto the patient. The chapter describes the characteristics of the patient's pressure to induce the therapist into countertransference. Once the countertransference has been understood, the therapist has a variety of options. The therapist can review the patient's behavior and see what the patient has done to evoke the countertransference. This should be done even if the countertransference stems from an unresolved, infantile conflict of the therapist that was evoked by the patient. With narcissistic patients in particular, where failure of empathy is a constant issue, whether the countertransference is real or is based on fantasy is very important. Patients will forgive mistakes as long as the therapist eventually gets on the right track.
