Some thoughts on empathy and countertransference.
Two aspects of countertransference-namely, the countertransference reaction and empathic understanding-must be distinguished. The term countertransference should be reserved exclusively for the conscious reactions of the analyst emerging from the preconscious by virtue of the patient's current transferences; the term empathy should be used to denote a perspective whereby the analyst employs current countertransference reactions for an understanding of the patient's inner life.
Zepf
Siegfried
S
Institute for Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany. s.zepf@rz.uni
Hartmann
Sebastian
S
D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D003379:Countertransference; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D004645:Empathy; D005619:Freudian Theory; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology