Discussion 2: Transference and CountertransferenceSpecific skills and knowledge are essential for a social worker

Discussion 2: Transference and Countertransference
Specific skills and knowledge are essential for a social worker working with children. Understanding transference and countertransference is crucial to a healthy therapeutic relationship. Both transference and countertransference can be evident in any client–therapist relationship, but are especially important in working with children because of a common instinct among adults to protect and nurture the young. The projection or relocation of one’s feelings about one person onto another, otherwise known as transference, is a common response by children (Gil, 1991). Countertransference, a practitioner’s own emotional response to a child, is also common.

Learning Resources
Required Readings
Chiesa, C. (2012). Scripts in the sand: Sandplay in transactional analysis psychotherapy with children. Transactional Analysis Journal, 42(4), 285–293.
Malawista, K. L. (2004). Rescue fantasies in child therapy: countertransference/transference enactments. Child