National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What phenomenon occurs when a client projects their own feelings onto the counselor?

1. Transference

2. Countertransference

3. Projection

4. Reflexivity

The correct answer is: Transference

The phenomenon where a client projects their own feelings onto the counselor is known as transference. This occurs when a client unconsciously redirects feelings, desires, and expectations from one person to another, often stemming from past relationships. In the therapeutic context, clients may project emotions and attitudes they hold toward significant figures in their lives onto their counselor, which can be helpful for exploration within therapy. Transference allows therapists to understand how a client relates to others and can uncover deeper emotional issues. It can manifest in various ways, such as in the form of strong emotions like affection, anger, or dependency directed at the counselor, reflecting unresolved issues from the client’s past relationships. The awareness and management of transference can facilitate deeper therapeutic work and assist the client in making meaningful changes. While countertransference refers to the counselor's emotional reaction to the client's transference, and projection involves an individual's attributes or feelings being transferred onto others more generally, it is the concept of transference that specifically highlights the client's experience of projecting their emotions onto the counselor. Reflexivity involves a more complex, analytical awareness, and does not pertain to the interpersonal dynamics of client-counselor relationships in the same way.