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It took me about a year but then I had never heard of transference until I joined this forum. The timing is all up to you and what you are comfortable with. You can also ease into it. I started with something easier to admit. I just told her how much I missed her and how hard that was. Another time I asked her what transference was to break the ice. Of course I still struggle with talking about it 6 years later but my t once told me to not push too hard or go too fast. "The slower you go,the faster you get there."
Hi Hollow... welcome to the forum.

I wonder if what you are feeling towards your T are attachment feelings. Do you understand attachment and how we may have attachment injuries stemming from childhood neglect and/or abuse? What your T looks like may have very little to do with your feelings. It is the experience of being given someone's full attention and care that causes us to feel affectionate and warm feelings towards them. When we didn't have any healthy relationships in our past and had insecure attachment relationships with our caregivers then it's likely that we will attach with a T who shows caring, interest, warmth and empathy towards us.

Transference is more when we take feelings we have had for others in the past and "transfer" them onto the T. Like when your T triggers the same feelings (positive or negative) that remind you of your parents or someone else in your past.

As for your question.... I spoke about ... or tired to discuss attachment with my oldT. He was not well educated about this and did not understand the process so it did not go very well. My current T understands attachment and encourages it and does not fear loving feelings in the therapy relationship. Of course, neither of us could act on those feelings but it is okay to talk about them. He says it's necessary to heal from attachment injury. So that discussion while difficult has always gone well.

I would ask T what he knows about attachment and start from there.

TN
(((hollow))) I do think you have some good advice here that I can't add much too unfortunately but wanted to send some Hug two and a welcome. Transference can be so hard... I didn't have to admit any transference early on... if she didn't know by the first session I had angry reactions to being "close" she definitely knew by the second. I wear my transference on my sleeve! It sucks!!! Other feelings are much easier to hold in (like attraction, people can't necessarily see or hear it right away) but I know it can eat you up inside holding on to that stuff. It is good to ask about what your T knows, like TN suggested.

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