title: Transference and countertransference in therapy with lesbian patients.
abstract: ABSTRACT Like gender, sexual orientation is an important determinant of one's perception of human relationships, therefore influencing the therapeutic process. Through a framework derived from cross-cultural therapy literature, this article explores how lesbian patients' transferences are influenced by their perception of their therapists' sexual orientations and how therapists' countertransferences differ according to their sexual orientations. This analysis took shape through dialogue with heterosexual and lesbian therapists working in a variety of settings, some generic mental health settings and some lesbian, gay, and bisexual identified.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , McGill University, University Sexual Identity Centre (M.U.S.I.C.) , Montreal , Canada.
authors.forename: Karine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Igartua
authors.forename: Pascale Des
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Rosiers
keywords: Lesbian; countertransference; homosexual; psychoanalysis; therapy; transference